Changing Makes a Difference
by magic-reeni
Summary: REPOSTED/REWRITTEN Yami makes a bet with Joey about staying with one person without having any sex. If Yami loses he won't be able to have anybody for the rest of the year...but if Joey loses he'll have to be enslaved to his once best friend.
1. The Bet and the Meeting

Chapter 1: The Bet and the Meeting

Honey brown eyes glanced out the window nonchalantly, a slow smile creeping up his face and almost reaching his blonde locks. Joey Wheeler immediately felt good about his day. In his line of vision he spotted a short teen a year behind him waiting by the bridge at the end of the school grounds, just like he'd instructed him to the day before.

Nothing could screw this up, he was sure of it. Tri-colored hair blew in the light breeze of the cooling season and Joey was certain that even from the distance between them if those violet eyes glanced his way he'd spot the shy nature dancing just behind the large irises. Knowing he had no friends, Joey had wanted to introduce him to another teen in their year that he was sure to get along with: Ryou Bakura.

~Flashback~

Joey looked down one of the several halls he strolled by, bored and waiting for something interesting to happen. A grin reached his face and he paused mid-step. "Hey, Malik," he called, waving energetically and directing his feet in the other direction. "What's up?"

"Huh," the teen gasped, jumping at the sudden loud voice. Barely glancing over his shoulder, the sandy-blonde teen offered the smallest of blushes to his friend. Amethyst eyes gave everything away. "Nothing much."

A wide grin answered him and Joey playfully slugged his shoulder and waggled his thing eyebrows. "So, Marik finally got the guts to make a move, huh? Bout time."

Malik nodded eagerly, losing his initial shyness and embarrassment. "Finally," he agreed enthusiastically. "It was one of the best nights of my life, but so far it's been a bitch to walk around all day."

Throwing his head back, Joey barked out a laugh. It echoed loudly around the stone hallways and his sandy-blonde haired friend quickly looked around to make sure no one was coming. "Wouldn't know how that feels," Joey finally retorted, rubbing the back of his head and roughing up his hair. "But I'm happy as long as you and Marik don't start acting like Yami and go screwing with everybody." A scowl immediately erased the usual laugh lines around his face and he pulled out a folded up note from his pocket. His baggy jeans immediately felt lighter with the offensive paper. "Check this out."

Violet eyes scanned the contents of the page before widening, whistling and then choking when he reached further down the page. "That's Tea's number," Malik retched uncomfortably, voice rising with disbelief. At Joey's nod his stomach churned uncomfortably and he stared at the tally marks next to said brunette's name. Then the obvious hit him. "How did you get this?"

A smirk worthy of Seto Kaiba touched the honey blonde's face as he snatched the paper back up and folded it back into his pants' pocket. He'd have to remember to store it away somewhere safe when he got back to his own rooms. "Don't tell anybody, not even Marik," he began in a whisper, glancing around and then stepping closer to his friend, waiting for a nod and then continued. "I just made a bet with that slut though," he grinned smugly and basked in whatever glory he was feeling at the moment. "I bet he had to stay with one person for two weeks with no sex."

Malik's eyes widened, bulging and then blinking rapidly and kept his surprised scream of "What!" swallowed in his throat. "Think he'll make it," he decided on instead.

Joey shrugged. "Don't know, but I sure hope so. Then this school can finally start rumoring about more natural things than his newest lay. Besides, this could be just what he needs to return him back into the Yami he used to be."

"I don't know, Joey, you know how he thinks. He might seem okay with this now…but when it's over who's to say when your bet's over Yami won't just take whoever you set him up with to bed?"

A scowl came over his face again and the blonde let out an annoyed sigh. "That's exactly what I'm trying not to think about. It's bad enough how many people that slut's had and how many times," he shivered and turned to go with a lazy way. Pausing with one foot in the air he glanced back. "By the way, have you seen Yugi Motou?"

Wrinkles appeared on the usually smooth face and Marik was noticeably chewing on the inside of his cheek. "Yugi Motou," he repeated quietly, mentally scanning through a list of people he knew at their boarding school. Just as he was about to shrug a picture of a small teen who looked like only a sixth grader in his mind's eye and his mouth dropped open. "Shy thing," he asked, "older than he looks with spiky hair and big purple eyes? Doesn't talk much?" At Joey's slight nod he grinned. "Yeah, he's in the library. I just came from there."

This time it was Joey's turn for his jaw to drop. "You," he joked, "In the library. I doubt it has _those _kinds of books."

Smacking his shoulder more harshly than he intended Marik frowned angrily. "Zip it, Wheeler," the junior year hissed. "I was just returning that stupid English book our teacher made us read. Marik told me all the stuff I had to know so there was no point in reading it."

Joey laughed again, rubbing his shoulder where he was pretty sure he was going to be lightly bruised later. "That's how it goes," he agreed and then took off for the library.

The large wooden doors that looked like they belonged more in a middle-aged castle than a boarding school out in the mountains. They creaked loudly enough for the librarian all the way in the back to glance up at him and scowl, shushing him in a voice that echoed over the squeal of the un-oiled hinges. He was almost tempted to shush her right back. Almost.

Stepping inside he knew he'd have to be careful. The almost ceiling high bookshelves towered in a complicated labyrinth that hid anybody who didn't want to be found with an ease that bothered Joey more than he'd admit. Probably why he never liked to step foot in the muddled room. The smell of musty pages hit him hard and he sneezed with a resounding ferocity, earning him another anger shush from the lady in the back. He waved apologetically and took a quick turn right through the history section. He could only hope his current target would be around a while. If he got lost in his own mess of a bedroom that he'd been living in during the past three school years, he'd no doubt be stuck in the book-infested room lacking even further in direction.

It was well known around the school that it was only just used for studying, hence the several long table that turned large hallways into cramped alleys. The ones closest to the door were owned by the honor students and the straight-A nerds that were better known as the teachers' pets. Further in the back though the studios habits turned a little more…enjoyable. Joey smirked as he thought of that, remembering one of his first make out sessions was in this library. Knowing Yugi though he'd be somewhere hidden but closest to the front.

_Finally_ the blonde huffed, turning the corner and spotting the undeniable spiky hair sticking up in a hidden corner. "Of course he'd pick one of the hardest tables to find," he muttered as he worked his way around the table currently in his way. Like usual, the sophomore was engrossed in a thick novel and his large eyes swiveled back and forth as a pace that Joey could only reach when reading comics and mangas.

Carefully and quietly as possible, Joey sat himself down across from the younger teen and grinned widely. Thinking over again why he was tracking down the longer, he couldn't wait to let him know the good news. It took him forever just to get the short male to call him by his first name.

Violet eyes paused when he reached a good stopping point, glancing up shyly over the top of his book at the source of the shadow that had passed over him. He scooted back in his seat shyly, shifting uncomfortably.

"Hey, Yug," Joey greeted happily, using the nickname he recently started using as he leant forward on the table and rested his chin on his elbows.

Looking away, the teen nodded with a noticeably pink stain tinting his somewhat pudgy cheeks. "I bet-ter go," he stuttered out with embarrassment, hurrying to gather his things. In his rush he instead knocked his tower of books off the table and Joey swore he heard another shush from the librarian from just around the corner at the sound. Without sparing a thought as to whether the old witch was following him or not, he knelt down and started to help pick up the books. "T-thank you, Joey," Yugi muttered, cramming everything into his overused bag and turning to go.

Placing his hand gently on the shy teen's shoulder, he grinned. "Hold up there, Yugi," he pleaded a little louder than necessary. This time he heard it without a doubt, the librarian sneering his last name from just around the corner. He rolled his eyes and wondered how she could still hold such a grudge over finding him in that first make out session. He'd already apologized for the mess he made on the books he soiled. Ignoring her for the moment, he quickly led Yugi around another shelf.

The blonde felt sorry for the sophomore and always did his best to be on his best behavior with even if they weren't friends. At least, that was his idea but Yugi never seemed all that interested since he shadowed himself from everyone else.

He guided him through the maze, grumbling under his breath when he made a couple wrong turns, and then Joey finally led him out of the library. The thought of another detention that week didn't interest him all that much as it usually did when he was set on his self-assigned mission.

"Hey, Yug," he started, making sure to keep a hold on the younger teen so he didn't slip away like the last time he tried to talk to him. "You're always alone like that, aren't you?"

Eyeing him for a second through his colorful fringe, Yugi hesitantly nodded and kept his head towards the cobbled stone hallway.

Joe y grinned weakly and gave him a slightly awkward half hug around his shoulders as he continued to walk. "How would you like someone to hang around with for a while," he offered. "He won't take advantage of ya or nothing like that. You've got a lot in common. I'm sure you'll like him."

Losing himself, Yugi quickly nodded. "I'd love nothing more!" His bright expression clouded over immediately though and he took a step back. "What's the catch," he asked suspiciously.

Joey hurried to shake his head, holding his hands up carefully as a show that he wasn't trying to pull anything over on him. It didn't even cross his mind to be insulted by the question since he knew other people had lied about the same thing numerous times. How others could be _that_ cruel, he'd never know. "There isn't one, I promise ya. Just meet them at the bridge tomorrow right after lunch. Stay there until somebody shows up just in case something holds them up. I swear, Yug, someone'll be there."

Grinning, Yugi nodded at the older student. So far Joey had done nothing to grant him suspicious and he was glad his comment hadn't offended him. "This means a lot to me," he told him honestly, blushing as he did so and clutching his book bag to his chest like a lifeline.

Smirking, the blonde ruffled his hair just as the sound of the warning bells rung throughout the halls of the school. He waved before running at top speed towards his next class as he planned out where Yami could meet with his own personal friend for their bet.

~End of Flashback~

The longer Joey stared at the loner through the window the deeper his frown became. Him and Yugi weren't friends, but mere acquaintances who spoke only whenever Joey was in a conversational mood. The spiky-haired sophomore was much too shy for Joey's tastes and as far as he knew they had absolutely nothing in common other than the Domino Academy they went to. He could tick off things on one hand about what he honestly knew about the teen and still have fingers to spare. He played some kind of card game and he enjoyed reading.

Narrowing his eyes, the junior shifted and heard a crinkle of paper. He'd forgotten to take Yami's tally slip out of his pocket the night before and there was never any time to run back to his room and tuck it away. Just thinking about having his once best friend carrying it around daily and constantly making notes on it sent his stomach churning. Treating people he had sex with like items to be compared in a store, remarking on how good or how loud they got. It sent a shiver down his spine.

Their argument from the previous day had started in the very spot Joey was sitting now: in the dining hall. He and Yami used to spend all their free time talking to each other ever since they met back in seventh grade. After their first year at Domino Academy though, after Joey had been so excited to keep his best buddy even when going away to the boarding school, Yami had changed. Over the summer break between their freshmen year and sophomore year Joey couldn't have believed the transformation unless he'd seen it himself.

What came from a popular outgoing teen was a swearing, rude, scantily dressed whore. Since the academy didn't have any uniforms Yami had gone from jeans to leather with tight fitting everything. The biggest gotcha though was how adamant Yami had been when he'd wanted nothing to do with sex until he'd found the perfect person to a machine that jumped around from bed to bed as if he couldn't get enough.

He wasn't even sure how it happened when he began speaking with Yami again, but he supposed it started how it always did. Joey wanted to find out what changed his best friend and it turned into their usual argument before escalating even higher when the blonde challenged his ability to keep it in his pants.

~Flashback~

"No way," Joey yelled across the table, red-faced and heated, "You wouldn't last a day!"

Yami Hitokage gritted his teeth and slammed his fists on the wooded surface and clattered all the nearby silverware. His red eyes seemed to glow with anger and looked appropriately scary. "How the hell would you know?"

Now in each other's face with Joey's friends backing him and Yami's slut behind his sleek form, the blonde refused to back down. "When was the last time you slept in your own bed," Joey shot back. "That look in your eye proves you can't get enough!"

"Fine! I'll prove it."

Bingo! This was his change now, he could spit out what he'd always wanted to say or he could just admit that he didn't think Yami could handle being obstinate about lack of sex. Just seeing all the girls and some boys at his once best friend's side glaring at him settled it. "I bet you can't stay with somebody for two weeks without having sex with them!"

Yami smirked and his crimson eyes glinted with the glow of a challenge. He didn't even hesitate before offering his hand. "You're on, Wheeler."

Gripping his hand back equally tightly, Joey nodded and a sense of victory shot through him. "I pick the person and I'll have them meet you tomorrow at the bridge by the gate. Give me a list of who you haven't had sex with," he demanded, figuring it would shorter than those who Yami had already laid.

With an annoyed growl, the crimson-eyed junior ripped open his backpack that had yet to be used for anything school related and tore a few sheets from a thick notebook inside. The papers had a huge list of names with tally marks and jotted notes beside each one. Several of the ones with the most marks, Joey noted, were the first ones who'd come to Yami's defense when their conversation started to become heated.

To say Joey was disgusted with how many tally marks he glanced at altogether that he had to admit he'd almost hurled, especially so when his eyes landed on the comments. Tea Gardner was right near the top of the list and by far had the most number of anybody on the list. With a curt nod, the blonde folded the note and jammed it in his pocket before he turned on his heel and stormed from the crowded room.

Yami watched him go with a smirk, all the while thinking how easy it would be to win this bet. And, after he did win, he'd make sure the new toy would be his best playmate of all before parading the fact in front of the honey blonde. _This is going to be fun._

~End of the Flashback~

Joey yawned loudly as the bell rang for the end of their history lesson echoed throughout the halls. He didn't even bother jotting down the homework, he never did it anyways. As he'd been saying for years, whatever he was going to do with his life he didn't need a bunch of dead war heroes to help him get there. He stood and turned to go, kicking Yami's foot out of the way as it stuck in the walkway.

"You're an ass," he muttered low enough for the teacher a few feet away not to hear.

The blood red eyes shimmered as their owner smirked. "I could do with some of yours," Yami noted, licking his lips and glancing the blonde up and down. He'd been trying to have Joey since the very beginning and couldn't understand why his best friend was being so stubborn.

"Don't even think it, Yami. We're on a bet."

"Not yet, we aren't," he argued. "You haven't found anybody willing to do the dirty work yet."

With a growl Joey grit his teeth. "Have so," he shot back, knowing for sure he'd never be able to lose with said person. "They'll be waiting for you close to the end of lunch. Hopefully with some food in your gut you won't be ruled by your hunger." And he wasn't talking about eating. Everybody knew where Yami went for his lunches and it wasn't the cafeteria.

Rolling his eyes, Yami nodded and shoved a notebook full of doodles into a bag that he hoisted over his shoulder.

"You better follow my rules, Yami," Joey threatened, making sure the teacher still wasn't listening in.

Waving his hand with annoyance, Yami ignored the low tone. "Yeah, yeah," he brushed off with a bored sigh of his own. "So what happens with the loser?"

Joey only spared a second to think. "If you lose you can't have sex for the rest of the year and I get the satisfaction of being able to hear real school rumors for a change." He couldn't help that he was a sucker for some good gossip.

"And if I win?"

Biting his lip, Joey had to put a lot of faith in his choice of a person as well as Yami. He wanted to believe his ex-best friend had self control so maybe if he put something up for grabs that he really wanted than maybe… "If you win," he started slowly, shooting his tongue out to wet his dry, cracked lips. "If you win, I won't bother you about what you do anymore and…" his heart thundered underneath his chest as Yami raised a single, thin eyebrow with impatience. "And I'll be your slave for a month." The smirk on the teen's face and he was quick to finish, "But I won't have sex with you!"

Now well outside the hearing of any teacher or student, Yami let out an angry growl. "Give it up, Joey! Seto won't do it with you. He's way too proud to take someone like you to bed and that snobby, richer-than-thou personality would never even allow him to get into bed with you!"

Shoving Yami up against the wall, an unbearable heat gathered in Joey's chest. "Don't insult my boyfriend," he hissed angrily, glaring at a Yami groupie who ran passed when she slowed to hear what was going on. "Think it or say it out loud whenever you want, I don't care, but not when I'm around to hear it!"

"Fine, but," Yami laughed, "keep your pants on."

Sniffing with annoyance, he released him and actually wiped his hands off on his jeans. "No worries there," he muttered quietly. "That good enough for you?"

"It'll do." They shook on it once more and then separated for the next class.

Yugi shivered in the chilly air and huddled further into his mess of sweatshirts and jackets to seek more warmth for his thin form. He'd only been waiting five minutes for the mystery friend Joey promised him, but he'd been so eager to meet them that he'd skipped lunch entirely.

Staring out at the vast trees and low fog that surrounded the edge of the school, the main gate acting like magic that kept the grounds inside clear. It was such a nice place that he couldn't believe he'd never come here sooner. It had such a calming effect that he didn't even hear the echoing footsteps on the wood of the bridge. If it weren't for the two arms that encircled his shoulders, immensely helping to block out the cold air, he never would've known anyone was there.

Very grateful, Yugi forced himself to stay calm at the intrusion to his comfort bubble at the remembrance that this must be the person Joey had mentioned. He turned to thank the person but ended up choking on his words when red eyes stared back, the only pair of red eyes in the whole school. Knowing Yami's reputation quiet well he tried to turn and tripped over his own feet, anchoring back over the low railing of the bridge.

He clenched his amethyst eyes tightly, awaiting the inevitable freezing water to swallow him under but then opened them with confusion several seconds later. It was only then that he noted that two strong hands were wrapped tightly around his thin wrists. As if he as nothing more than air, Yami pulled him back up and curled his shivering body, partly from cold and partly from fear, into his arms once more.

"Th-thank you, Ya-Yami," Yugi whispered, hating once more his stuttering and unable to do anything more about it. This time he blamed it on his chattering teeth though. Without a second thought, and probably against his own better judgment, Yugi curled himself further into the inviting heat. He wanted to be able to trust Joey. Maybe Yami wanted to change.

Yami grinned at the younger teen, interested in how innocent the sophomore seemed even in his own, impure arms. He had to praise Joey. Someone like this was sure to give him a challenge, but it also made the win almost too easy. By the time he managed to crack open the shy nature Yugi Motou was known for the bet would be over and he'd be free to do as he wished. Joey would break apart when he knew what fate he just sealed. Lifting him effortlessly, Yami carried his new charge back to the school doors.

Amethyst eyes blinked open and he stared up with confusion, but unable to find himself pulling away. Yami wouldn't do anything…like _that_ with _him_…would he? He tried not to think so. Joey wouldn't do that…he hoped.

Yami grinned once more and decided on a more agreeable personality, much more of how he used to be. Something like that was sure to get Yugi to warm up to him that much faster. His usual cussing and hotheadedness would only drive him off. "Don't worry, little one," he assured, surprised at how easy it was to slip into his former self. "The heaters inside are on full blast and we'll warm up again in no time." The tensing was unmistakable and he allowed a smooth, gentle chuckle to escape him. "Not like that," he promised. "I wouldn't do something like that to you." _Yet. _What surprised him further was when shy, unapproachable little Yugi smiled and rested his head on his chest. Did he actually trust him that fast? Was he that comfortable already? Yami refused to dwell on it as a surge swam around in his stomach. It wasn't the usual heat that begged for him to release himself. It was something else entirely that bothered the teen to a fault. A feeling he'd never felt before. _Protective? _

Though they had to split for the afternoon classes soon after arriving back inside the school building, Yami quickly sought out the shy teen as soon as the dinner bell echoed throughout the grounds. Together they ate a light dinner and spoke with minimal conversation before separating for bed.

Before leaving Yami called back the amethyst-eyed teen. Once having his attention he grinned at him, still amazed the shyer male trust him already not to do anything. He had to wonder just what Joey Wheeler told him to convince him to take part in this bet. Shrugging off that question for the moment, he focused back to the teenager in question. "Would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow," he asked.

Yugi was still a bit hesitant about spending time with Yami. Joey had said they'd get along but…why him he had to wonder. Out of all the people in the school how would Yugi be the one that would get along with him the most? He nodded slowly. "I'd like that. Thank you, Yami." He waved briefly at the older student and then ran down the hallway with his book bag slapping into his side with each jog.

He watched him go before Yami turned on his heel and headed towards his own room, the first time he'd been in there in a few weeks, a smirk playing on his lips the whole way. "This is going to be a breeze," he told himself. "Joey has no idea what he got himself into."


	2. The Date and the Truth

Sorry about the repost guys, I forgot to say why in the first chapter. Stupid ff.net took it down without even notifying me of it or telling me why. Which, of course, made me really pissed off since it's sequel also got taken down and only has one chapter left to repost.  
  
~~  
  
Before lunch Yami took Yugi to a movie. They sat in the back and shared a bag of popcorn and had a straw for each of them in a small soda. When a few people had left the theater early the cold breeze from outside rushed over Yugi's form and caused the young teen to become easily cold.  
  
Finding the opportunity, Yami wrapped his arms around the younger and helped keep him warm. He was surprised still how easily Yugi leant into him without hesitating and somewhat curious how Yugi fit so well and comfortable in his arms.  
  
~~  
  
After the movie Yami and Yugi headed to lunch walking side-by-side, Yami's arm still wrapped around him and offering his smaller form more warmth. Yugi was still a bit intimidated thought that the rumored slut of the school, the one that doesn't stay with anybody longer than a day, would want to be with him, the loner and quiet one of the school that doesn't have any friends.  
  
The sophomore glanced up Yami and blushed as he saw the junior smiling back down at him. He quickly looked forward again and nearly froze in his tracks if it wasn't for Yami's around him as he noticed some of the other students of their school glaring at him like they were planning to kill him in his sleep.  
  
Tearing his eyes away from theirs he held hesitantly onto Yami's arm, which lowered itself away from his shoulder after he stopped shaking. He closed his eyes to try and block out the stares getting from the students who obviously seemed to be upset with him for some reason.  
  
'What did I do to make them upset?' He wondered innocently. 'I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"  
  
Surprised by the action Yami looked down at the younger and noticed the teen was now trembling slightly out of. fear? Looking up to think he quickly found out the problem while passing some few or their classmates. He stopped walking and waited until Yugi felt comfortable to open his eyes again.  
  
Amethyst eyes blinked open as the stopping registered and looked around. Noticing that they weren't at the restaurant Yami told him they were going to  
  
Yami smiled down at him. "Yugi, I don't want you to worry about what everybody else thinks. They're just mad because I'm hanging around with you now and they're jealous."  
  
"I'll try." Yugi whispered and nodded also in case Yami hadn't heard his quiet answer.  
  
"That's all I'm asking." Yami squeezed his hand for reassurance before letting the sophomore hold onto his arm again. "Now, I'm hungry. How bout you?"  
  
"Not really."  
  
"But you barely ate any popcorn and you didn't have breakfast either I noticed this morning."  
  
"I don't like to eat much." Yugi answered quietly.  
  
"Well, try to eat a little something so you don't get sick, hmm?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Thanks, Yugi. The place is just down a little further and then we can be away from the jealous bakas."  
  
The two continued walking down the street and entered the fast food restaurant at the corner. Yami pointed to a table in the corner, furthest from the other students enjoying their weekend and watched as Yugi scooted into the booth while he walked up to the cashier.  
  
He ordered two burgers and a chocolate shake for Yugi as a treat for putting up with the jealous and angry stares of their fellow schoolmates.  
  
As they ate together Yami began letting his thoughts wander as he watched Yugi from the corner of his eye.  
  
'How could Yugi trust me so easily not to hurt him when he knows who I am? Unless Joey said something really convincing to him. This better isn't exactly hard though. I can handle not having sex for a few weeks. It's giving me a small break and get my strength back.' Looking more over Yugi he noticed that the younger teen wasn't wearing just one jacket but a few more underneath that he could see the collars to. 'How many is he wearing? It isn't that cold out, is it?' He wondered curiously. "Yugi?"  
  
Yugi looked up from his shake and smiled at him the best he could with the straw still in his mouth.  
  
Yami smiled back at him, admiring how cute the sophomore acted. Just like the innocence of child in a high school sophomore.  
  
'It's really quite cute for him and that look really wouldn't suit other people.' "I was just wondering why you have all those jackets on. I didn't realize it was so cold out. Aren't you warm?"  
  
Yugi shook his head quickly. "I'm not too warm. I'd rather not talk about it really. I just don't like to."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry then. I didn't mean to."  
  
"No, it's okay. You were curious and it's only natural that you would ask about it if that was the case."  
  
'He's really smart for a sophomore.' Yami thought. 'Must be from all those books I see him reading around school.' "Well, I'm still sorry I made you uncomfortable about it."  
  
"Thank you, Yami. Not many people would let it drop so easily."  
  
"Your welcome, Yugi."  
  
"Yami, do you want me to pay you back when we get back to the school?"  
  
"No, Yugi, I don't. Have a fine time and leave everything to me. I don't care much about getting paid back or not unless I really want it."  
  
"But I wouldn't mind if you wanted me to."  
  
Yami wrapped his arm around Yugi and held him closer. "Just worry about enjoying yourself. This is supposed to be fun. Now, are you having that?"  
  
Yugi nodded.  
  
"Are you having fun worrying over money issues and paying me back for a simple movie ticket and burger and shake?"  
  
Yugi shook his head.  
  
"Then don't worry about it."  
  
Yugi nodded. "Okay, Yami."  
  
The two then finished the rest of their meal, Yugi only eating half of his burger and shake before he couldn't eat anymore.  
  
~~  
  
As the couple walked up to the school they kept taking glances at the other and thought about why such an opposite would want to hand around with them in the first place.  
  
It was Yugi who broke the silence. "Yami?"  
  
"Yes, Yugi?" Yami replied, looking at the slightly shorter teen beside him.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want me to pay you back for lunch?"  
  
Yami laughed and took Yugi's hand as they continued walked. "I'm sure, Yugi. Don't worry about the money and just enjoy yourself. What are you supposed to be having?"  
  
"Fun?" The smaller asked, looking up at him.  
  
"That's right. Are you still having fun talking about paying me back?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then what do you think I'm going to tell you to do?"  
  
"Have fun and stop worrying?"  
  
"See, you're a fast learner." Yugi blushed at the comment. 'And so cute when you blush.' Yami thought. "Having fun now?" Yami squeezed the younger's hand.  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"I'm glad. I want you to have fun. You don't get it much, do you?"  
  
Yugi shook his head horizontally. "No, I don't have any friends at the school or where I used to live. And I always helped my grandpa with his game shop for stuff to do."  
  
"Your grandpa has a game shop?" Yami asked, interested.  
  
"Yes, but." Yugi's face fell at the thought. "He's gotten a bad disease and the doctors have tried everything to help cure it. He's already been in the hospital twice because of it."  
  
"I'm sorry. What's it called?"  
  
"Some long word, I don't remember. It's kinda hard to say." Yugi wiped a tear forming in his eyes, refusing to cry in front of Yami. "Can we not talk about this? It's kind of hard and."  
  
"Say no more, Yugi. We'll stop if you want."  
  
Yugi looked down at their joined hands and gave Yami's hand a squeeze like the taller did for a few times earlier to comfort him. "Thank you."  
  
Yami stayed quiet, thinking it was the better thing to do. Yugi was very grateful. He wanted to get control over his emotions and the thoughts that his grandfather might not survive through the disease with the doctors unable to help much more.  
  
"Are you still enjoying yourself?" Yami asked after a little while.  
  
Yugi smiled up at him and nodded his head enthusiastically. "I'm having the best time I can ever remember since I came to the Domino High."  
  
"I'm glad." Yami replied back quietly. He wasn't sure why he was making sure Yugi enjoyed himself so much. It's not like it was part of the bet to make sure he was happy or comfortable around him. Just made sure he stayed with him for three weeks without having sex.  
  
~~  
  
The two students stopped on the stairs that separated their floors like they had the night before, not really sure what to say or do next since their time out hadn't actually been just a hang out together day the way they acted sometimes.  
  
Finally, Yami thought of something. "Do you want to hang out for a while longer? We could go to your room or mine if you wanted to."  
  
"No thanks, Yami. I'd like to, but I have some more homework to finish and I don't want to stay up too late and be tired for my classes tomorrow. I'm sorry."  
  
"That's okay, I wouldn't want to stay up late either. Have a good night, Yugi." He waved.  
  
"Good night, Yami. And thank you for one of the best days of my life."  
  
"Anytime, Yugi."  
  
Yugi waved to him and ran up the flight of stairs and disappeared around the corner.  
  
Yami shook his head at how cute Yugi seemed to be all the time as he walked down the stairs towards his own dorm room.  
  
'Why do I feel like I want to spend so much time with him? I just started this thing yesterday, I can't be giving in to desires already, can I? .No, I'm not. This feels different.'  
  
Yami thought the unusual feelings until he got to his room. Opening it and stepping inside he realized that he didn't have anything to do.  
  
Glancing at his bag by his bed he sighed and lay down. He opened it and took out his homework, working on it until he finished before his eyes drooped shut and he fell asleep.  
  
~~  
  
Yami awoke a little while later and rubbed his eyes sleepily. He looked at his clock and smirked.  
  
'Good, I didn't miss dinner. All that homework made me worn out.'  
  
He brushed off his clothes to get the wrinkles out from sleeping in them and turned his light off before heading down to the cafeteria.  
  
~~  
  
Sitting down at the table with the people he usually sat with when he didn't see Yugi around he was fired with questions from all directions.  
  
"Are you really settling down with that Yugi twerp?" One boy asked to his right.  
  
"Are you going to forget all about us?" A blonde asked from across him.  
  
"How could you do this after our wonderful times together, Yami-kins?" A high-pitched voice screeched near his left.  
  
"Are you sure you're making the right choice when you can do so much better with me?" A black-haired boy asked from farther down the table.  
  
"How long are you going to stay with that loner? He's too dorky to actually want to hang around. I thought you were too good for that?" A pair of twins asked from his right.  
  
Yami toned them out the best he could, getting a headache from all the ridiculous questions. 'Soon this bet will be over and I can have all the fun I want again. But. what'll happen to Yugi when he finds out?' Yami shook his head. 'No! Why do I care about him so much after two days? Is he really having such an effect on me?'  
  
He glared at the people around him, taking it as their fault for making him think such things. But then he saw Yugi out of the corner of his eyes. Getting a better look he saw the violet eyes were looking back at him sadly from the entrance to the cafeteria.  
  
Realizing that the violet-eyed tenshi ('Where did that come from?' Yami thought) had overheard the questions and was probably waiting for the same answers the others around him wanted.  
  
He pushed away from the people gathered and hanging off of him and stood up, walking over to Yugi.  
  
Reaching Yugi he smiled and turned back around to glare at the others whom were all glaring back at Yugi.  
  
"If anybody touches Yugi in any kind of negative way I'll make it my personal mission to wish you'd never been born when I find out about it."  
  
'Why do I feel so protective over him? I can't have feelings for him already, do I? No! I don't! I refuse to believe it so soon only after two days!' Yami scolded himself. 'The only explanation for it is because I don't want him to get hurt when it's not his fault. But whose. Joey's! It's Joey's fault because it's his bet and he put Yugi up to this somehow!' A smug look crossed Yami's face, feeling better at coming up with a better explanation.  
  
Turning back to Yugi he took the smaller's hand and led him to the lonely table in the lonely corner he'd always noticed the younger teen would sit at since he ever came to the school.  
  
"Stay here, Yugi. I'll go get us something to eat before these other hogs eat it all." Yami winked.  
  
Yugi giggled but nodded just the same, blushing slightly at how nice Yami was treating him. He smiled gratefully after calming down, being too shy to go over and do it himself.  
  
Yugi stared at the full plate now sitting in front of him and looked into Yami's eyes, asking if he was serious.  
  
Yami caressed his cheek for a moment and smiled lovingly at the other without realizing what he was doing. "You're much too pale to be healthy, little one, and too skinny. I can tell even with all those coats on."  
  
Yugi blushed. "Thanks Yami."  
  
With Yami's gently coaxing he managed to eat a little less than half of the plate before unable to eat another bit.  
  
"I'm sorry, Yami. I just can't."  
  
"I understand. Come on, it's late."  
  
Looking out the window Yugi nodded and took Yami's hand that was offered to him.  
  
~~  
  
They stopped at the usual staircase the separated at and looked back into each other's eyes.  
  
"Goodnight, Yugi. I hope you sleep well and have a good morning as well in case I don't see you."  
  
Yami smiled up at him and wrapped his arms around Yami's waist, hugging him closely and enjoyed the warmth the other body washed over him. He let go a second later, much to Yami's confused disappointment, before running up the stairs and waving goodbye to him.  
  
'I don't know what it is but I've never felt like this before. Yami's so nice to me and doesn't care about what others say about me. I've have to mail grandpa and tell him about this.' Yugi thought excitedly. 'Maybe it'll help him feel better too when he finds out I might've actually made a friend at last!'  
  
~~  
  
Almost smiling at the action of what the younger teen had done, Yami continued on his way down the stairs while wondering how the little teen, who didn't have and friends and was always alone and picked on by bullies, trusted him of all people, the slut of the school, so easily.  
  
Almost smiling at the action of what the younger teen had done Yami continued on his way down, wondering how that little teen, who didn't have any friends and was always alone and picked on, trusted him so easily. Unknowingly, Yugi wasn't going to his dorm just yet.  
  
~~  
  
Yugi stopped in front of the study hall, hoping he would find Joey or somebody who might know where the blonde might be. Luckily, the junior was there and was arguing with whom else but Tristan.  
  
He walked hesitantly up to the two and debated on whether he should interrupt or not.  
  
Tristan noticed him though after rolling his eyes at the blonde. "What do you want, short stuff?" He asked rather rudely.  
  
When Joey saw whom Tristan was talking about he hit the other over his head. "What your mouth, Tristan! Yugi's really nice!"  
  
Yugi blushed and smiled at the comment, but it easily went away.  
  
Tristan sighed and muttered 'whatever' before standing and leaving.  
  
Yugi ignored him and wrapped his arms around the taller loosely.  
  
Joey was surprised at the action but also hugged the other teen closer to him, thinking the younger wanted comfort for something and didn't know who else to turn to; not that he minded.  
  
"Is there something wrong? Wasn't he nice to you?" Joey asked curiously.  
  
Yugi quickly shook his head. "Thank you, Joey. Thank you so much, you have no idea how much it means to me what you did. Yami's treated me so nice, nobody ever has like that before.'  
  
Joey's honey-colored eyes widened considerably larger at the mention of the school slut's name, but shook his head and decided not to say anything since Yugi seemed so happy at last and didn't want to hurt the smaller by telling him it was a mistake. "I'm glad you're so happy and you're very welcome too. I want you to be careful though. You know what Yami does, right?"  
  
"I know, but I want to help him. I'm going to try and change him. I'm going to do the very best that I can to help him out of whatever it is that made him that way."  
  
Afterwards Yugi left and the blonde heard chuckling behind him, immediately recognizing whom the laughter belonged to.  
  
"So that's the one you set Yami with the other day? That's why you were looking for Yugi?" Malik snorted out with more laughter.  
  
Joey turned to him with confusion in his soft brown eyes. "You don't understand, Malik. I didn't set them up. I was looking for Yugi to meet him up with Ryou since I thought those two might get along. I was setting Yami up with somebody else."  
  
Malik stopped laughed and stared at Joey with wide eyes. "You didn't mean for that to happen?" He asked seriously.  
  
"No. Yugi seemed so lonely so I decided to help him find somebody who'd be a good friend for him. I found Ryou and I knew it would be perfect so I went looking for him and told him to meet at the same place Yami was supposed to meet his person since they had different lunches."  
  
"What happened with Ryou then? He's not one to say he'll go and then not show up afterwards."  
  
"I don't know, but I'm going to go find out."  
  
"Then who was the person you were setting Yami up with?" Malik asked as the two friends walked out of the study hall room.  
  
"Troy Laurence. I was wondering why he gave me that glare yesterday at dinner. It must've been because Yami wasn't there and he stayed out there for a while. It was pretty cold outside."  
  
"Wow, Joey, you're screwed! You're plan totally backfired all because Ryou didn't show up like he was supposed to."  
  
"I know, but I'm sure Ryou had a good reason. He's not one to do stuff like that, like you said."  
  
The duo soon found Ryou walking around with Bakura Yubiwa.  
  
"It's scary how those two look alike just like you and Marik. Yugi and Yami are like that too, it's really freaky." Joey stated as they walked up.  
  
The white-haired sophomore looked up as he heard a familiar voice coming from behind. He saw Joey and Malik walking towards them and he smiled and waved to them, holding onto Bakura's arm tightly.  
  
"Hey, Ryou, what happened yesterday? You didn't meet up with Yugi like you said."  
  
Ryou's face immediately fell and his look a like glared at them for being the ones who caused it.  
  
"I'm sorry, Joey. I was sick last week and Sagasu-sensei, my science teacher, made me take it then. I tried to go as fast as I could without messing up too much but by the time I made it outside Yugi wasn't there so I thought he gave up on me. I tried looking for him yesterday but I couldn't find him anywhere."  
  
"That's okay, Ryou. I was just wondering."  
  
"Maybe some other time. I'd do it this weekend but it Bakura and mine's two- month anniversary and we wanted to spend the whole time off together."  
  
"No, it's okay. He'll be fine for a while. I hope. He's hanging with Yami right now."  
  
"Yami! That slut!" Bakura burst out laughing while the younger's eyes widened considerably larger.  
  
"Never mind, it was a big misunderstanding and I don't have the heart to tell Yugi that his happiness for me setting him up with Yami was a mistake."  
  
"I'll do it." Bakura volunteered.  
  
Joey glowered at him. "Not on your life. We wouldn't see him for the rest of the year the way you'd tell him and it's bad enough he hides from everybody from people always hurting and picking on him all the time."  
  
"Can you stop arguing, please?" Ryou pleaded, gripping Bakura's arm tighter.  
  
"Of course, love. We best go to bed anyway."  
  
Ryou nodded and he waved goodnight to his two friends before walking off to the hall down the left.  
  
Joey sighed in defeat and shrugged. "Oh well, this bet still could work even if it's not the person I thought it was going to be."  
  
Malik silently agreed and they separated for the dorms for bed, the buzzer for 'lights out' going off and echoing around the now deserted halls.  
  
~~  
  
The next morning in Yami's first period he handed in his homework he did the night before with the rest of his classmates absently, thinking about what else he could do with Yugi that day besides just eating lunch and dinner with him.  
  
He was broken from his thoughts, however, when the teacher walked over to his desk and clapped him on the back excitedly.  
  
Glaring at his Rakishi-sensei he growled out, "What the hel. heck was that for?" He tried his best not to swear since he found out during the movie he and Yugi had watched that Yugi didn't like it very much.  
  
The teacher smiled and held out Yami's homework assignment in his hand. "I'm so proud of you, Mr. Hitokage. You finally did your homework and it's even done correctly. I hope this positive new change is going to carry on for a very long time, a very long time indeed."  
  
Yami stared at the teacher in disbelief, all the while thinking, 'I did my homework and Yugi helped me without realizing it. And if Joey hadn't made this bet than wouldn't have had Yugi, and if I didn't have Yugi than I would've just been of shagging with somebody else. Who knew that a few days with one person could cause such a change?" 


	3. Questions and Problems

Yami walked into his dorm after dinner and threw his bag on the ground.  
  
'I did all my homework from yesterday and didn't realize it. That's kinda strange." He thought as he picked up his towel from off the floor and a something to sleep in from his closet before walking out down the hall into the boys' bathroom.  
  
He turned the water on and turned the knob to the left and watched as steam floated around him after a minute. He stripped down and walked under the hot spray, letting his frustrations and confusions of the day wash away.  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to relax his muscles and enjoy his quiet moment. He tensed though s he felt two arms wrap around his shoulders and kisses starting to trail down his neck.  
  
Growling he threw the arms off him and turned to see the familiar lithe form of Rex Raptor.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Yami asked in a dangerously low tone.  
  
Rex smiled seductively at him and wrapped his slick, wet arms around Yami's waist and pressed himself to the muscular form, kissing along the slightly taller forms shoulder.  
  
"You never objected before." Rex whispered after a moment.  
  
Before the other student could continue Yami pushed him against the wall forcefully and held him there tightly, his eyes flickering in anger. "I'm not interested." He growled low in his throat.  
  
"You're not really with that shrimp loner, are you Yami? You can't be serious!" Rex yelled back, trying to return his lips to the spicy taste that was Yami's skin.  
  
Yami stepped away and pushed Rex towards the door. "I'm not backing out on Yugi. Get that through your thick skull before I have to make you remember." Yami threatened before shoving Rex out of the stall and locking the door so nobody else could sneak in.  
  
Unfortunately for him he could still hear Rex yelling after him. "You can't stay with that loner forever, Yami! You'll get tired soon enough and you'll come crawling back for more! Just wait and see!"  
  
Yami just ignored him and tuned him and everybody else in the bathroom until he finished his shower. He dried off and dressed before going to his door and going to sleep.  
  
~~  
  
Yami walked down the stairs to the first floor, heading for the front hall. He felt a little nervous about what he was going to ask Yugi, but he had no idea why.  
  
'It's just a bet and you're not going to lose it, Yami. It's not like you care about him or anything, right? Right.'  
  
He stepped outside and over to the rosebush growing just off to the side of the front doors of the building. He was going to clip a rose that had fully bloomed but in the cold air they had all seem to have died.  
  
Going back inside he went to the vase by the stairs and clipped a rose that hadn't died since it was inside. He did his best to cut the thorns before continued to the cafeteria.  
  
As he walked by a few people mumbling about Yugi and saying a few bad things about him. He ignored what they said and continued thinking to himself.  
  
'If those people are any indication of what others feel as well than this might not work as well as I thought it would. I don't want people to get to Yugi and hurt him. I hate it when people get hurt because of me.' Yami shook his head tried to get the emotions from his thoughts. 'Suck it up, Yami! You're strong and you don't have feelings for anybody! You're going to ask Yugi to be yours, win the bet, break up with him, and go back to that way things used to be and completely forget this ever happened.'  
  
Yami looked around the cafeteria and immediately noticed Yugi sitting by himself engrossed in another book. He also noticed that Yugi didn't have a plate or anything on the table, which meant he hadn't eaten.  
  
Sighing to himself he walked over to a crowded table. The occupants of the table saw him coming towards them, a rose in his hand, and they became hushed in their conversations and started batting their eyelashes at him, both guys and girls alike, and made nerve-breaking kissing noises at him. All of them were wondering whom he was going to pick to have another memorable and pleasure filled night with the sex god teen.  
  
When Yami just picked up two plates of uneaten, warm food and walked away they scowled past him at the person their Yami was walking towards before going back to their own meals.  
  
Yami set one plate down in front of Yugi and another in front of an empty chair and sat down.  
  
Yugi looked up from his book a delicious smell wafted through his senses and looked farther up, blushing at the sight of Yami smiling at him.  
  
"You're much too skinny to be sitting around waiting for classes when you could be getting more meat on your bones." Yami told him.  
  
Yugi flushed once more, this time out of embarrassment, and nodded. He opened his bag and placed his book inside before he began eating.  
  
A few minutes before the bell to signal the start of classes Yami pulled out the rose and held it out to Yugi who stared at it in awe.  
  
"I-It's beautiful, Yami. What's it for?" He asked as he continued to look at it and admiring its magnificence and capturing magic.  
  
Yami smiled. "I'm glad you like it, Yugi. It's for you."  
  
Surprised, Yugi absently reached out his hand and took the soft stem in his slender fingers. He lifted his other hand reached up and made feather soft touches against the velvet like red petals.  
  
"You e-even took the thorns off?" Yugi noticed, realizing finally that the stem from absent of the sharp thorns.  
  
"All for you, Yugi. I didn't want you to get hurt by them."  
  
"B-but why would you do all this for. for me?" Yugi asked, still unable to comprehend any of this.  
  
"Yugi, I know that my reputation isn't the best thing in the world right now and I'd understand if you didn't want to but." He stopped out of nervousness. 'What's wrong with me? I thought I already dealt with this just before I came in here. Besides, Joey will kill me and never let it down if I don't do this.' "Would you be my boyfriend and go out with me?"  
  
To say Yugi was surprised would be a poor understatement. 'Why would someone like Yami want to go out with a loser like me when he could have anybody in the entire school? I'm just quiet and shy and wouldn't be any good to him.'  
  
Yugi looked into Yami's crimson eyes and melted instantly. They looked so pleading and honest to him.  
  
"Please, Yugi, it would mean so much to me if you would." Yami told him in a hushed voice.  
  
Yugi was about to answer when the bell interrupted him and he jumped, nearly falling out of his chair if Yami hadn't rushed to his side and held him up.  
  
"Are you okay, Yugi?" Yami asked, helping Yugi to his feet.  
  
"I'm sorry, Yami. I don't want to be late for class. I need to get going. Maybe we'll talk later." Yugi rushed out before grabbing his bag and walking quickly out of the cafeteria. Close to his heart he held the rose, clutching it closer to him as the question ran threw his mind once more. 'Would you please be my boyfriend and go out with me? Please, Yugi, it would mean so much to me.'  
  
~~  
  
All through morning classes Yugi for once couldn't pay attention. For the first time in his educational life he wanted to get out of the classroom so he could find Yami and talk to him.  
  
He thought about Yami's question for the first two classes and this was his last class before lunch and then he would see Yami.  
  
Yugi, usually last to leave in hopes of not getting picked on, was the first to leave as he ran to the cafeteria after dumping his things in his room and grabbing two books he would need after lunch.  
  
Looking around the quickly filling lunchroom and after a few minutes started to believe Yami decided to sit somewhere else. His high hopes that had filled him all morning quickly diminished as he continued to look around the room hopelessly.  
  
He was about to leave when a deep, familiar and warming voice flooded throughout him. A whispering in his ear making all his hopes come flying back to him.  
  
"Are you waiting for anybody?" The whisper asked him gently.  
  
Yugi smiled and nodded slightly. He turned around slowly and smiled back at Yami shyly. The younger teen wrapped his arms around Yami's middle and hugged him tightly. "Can I talk to you?"  
  
Yami held Yugi to him, hugging him back gently. "Of course you can. You always could, Yugi, whenever you wanted?" 'It's so nice to have Yugi in my arms. He fits so well.' Yami thought as Yugi hugged him tighter at his response. He didn't mind, it wasn't like it hurt. Yugi's touches were very gentle no matter how tight he held him.  
  
After a minute Yugi pulled back and Yami pushed him gently in the direction of the table they sat at for breakfast. "I'll be there in a minute, Yugi. Wait for me and I'll get us something to eat."  
  
Yugi nodded and walked quickly towards the table, mostly in anticipation.  
  
After making sure nobody would bother Yugi, Yami headed over to where Joey was sitting. "I asked Yugi this morning but he didn't get the change to answer." He whispered in Joey's ear.  
  
Joey nodded and kept eating, not wanting to look too suspicious about the whole thing.  
  
Tea though, who was determined more than ever to get in Yami's bed again, watched the whispered exchange between the friends curiously. 'They usually don't care what they say in front of people no matter what it is. I wonder what's so special about it this time.'  
  
Before leaving, Yami grabbed two plates and started walking away when somebody grabbed his shirt to hold him back.  
  
Sighing with annoyance he turned and glared at Tea, who was giving him a would-be sexy look, what she thought was one anyway. In what she thought was a seductive and lust-filled voice, "Why don't you sit with is today, Yami, and then maybe tonight," her free hand that wasn't holding onto Yami's shirt moved to cup the juncture between his legs, "we could get together and play? What do you say, Yami?"  
  
His hand grabbed her wrist before it could any closer to his pants and touch him and pulled her other hand away from his shirt. He leaned towards Tea's face, making it seem like he would kiss her, and she closed her eyes to accept it, puffing her lips out to meet his.  
  
"Nothing in this entire world would make me want you to get your skinny ass into my pants. You never did give any pleasure back, only accepted it for yourself."  
  
Tea gasped and glared at him after opening her eyes again. "How dare you!"  
  
"You're a spoiled bitch and I was stupid to have you as many times as I did. It makes me sick to my stomach to believe you were the one I fucked the most and was even one of my firsts. So stop puckering your nauseating lips and try closing your repulsive eyes so nobody else gets sick off them."  
  
Tea stood and stormed out of the cafeteria, people who heard the exchange between the two and laughed.  
  
Before Yami left the table he noticed the smirk on Joey's lips as the blonde finished his breakfast. He smirked back and headed over to Yugi's table.  
  
Yami approached the table Yugi was sitting at and smiled as he saw a smile on Yugi's lips as he twirled the rose he had given the sophomore at breakfast in his nimble and gentle fingers.  
  
"Do you like it?" He asked setting the pizza slice in front of Yugi.  
  
"I love it, Yami. It really is very beautiful." Yami nodded and sat down beside him. "I'm sorry for leaving so quickly earlier."  
  
Yami brushed the apology away carelessly. "Don't worry about it, Yugi. I understand you didn't want to be late."  
  
Yugi nodded and looked up at him, amethyst met ruby and he blushed lightly as he stared into them. "Yami, I. I don't really care about your reputation as long as you don't do anything while we're together."  
  
"Yugi, I would never hurt you like that. I couldn't or I wouldn't deserve to live." Yami brushed the sophomore's bangs away from his eyes.  
  
"I meant with other people while we're together." Yugi blushed and looked away.  
  
The junior looked at Yugi, startled. "What do you mean?" Yami asked, hoping deep inside that this is what he thought it was.  
  
Yugi looked at him and smiled sweetly, giggling lightly. "I thought about what you asked me at breakfast and I. I want to be your. your boyfriend." The sophomore finished quietly.  
  
Yami smiled and hugged Yugi gently, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. They would have stayed like that a while longer with how perfect it felt to be in the other's arms had the bell for afternoon classes not rung. The new couple separated after a minute longer of being in the other's embrace.  
  
"I'll meet you at dinner and then we can watch a movie in my room later. Is that okay with you?"  
  
"I'd like that, Yami. Thank you."  
  
"Anything for you, Yugi. Meet me at the stairs around six and I'll take you to my dorm, okay?"  
  
"Okay Yami. We should better go to our classes now so we're not late and get in trouble."  
  
The two stood and went their separate ways, Yugi outside for gym and Yami around the corner for history.  
  
~~  
  
Joey looked across the classroom and glanced at Yami for a minute before scribbling something down on a piece of paper. He handed it to Marik and pointed towards Yami. The Egyptian nodded and passed it to another student and nodded towards Yami.  
  
The note passed through two more students before it reached Yami. He looked around the classroom and saw Joey nodding at him. He nodded back and unfolded the note.  
  
Yami~ We need to talk about our bet now that you've asked Yugi to be your boyfriend. We'll talk on our way to the next class.  
  
Yami sighed and nodded his head in the direction of the blonde. He didn't like the way they were just using Yugi for some stupid bet.  
  
'It isn't right. He's too innocent for this and I don't want to hurt him if he ever finds out. Why did Joey pick him of all people?' Yami thought sadly before scolding himself for letting himself think such emotional things.  
  
~~  
  
Meanwhile, outside, Yugi wasn't having the easiest time with his class either. Someone tripped him on his way out of the locker room and all they did was snicker and walk away with their friends and everybody seemed to be angry with him for some reason whenever he looked over at someone.  
  
"Okay class, we're going to have some fun today. One lap around the track and then I'll tell you what we'll do." The teacher announced cheerfully.  
  
Yugi groaned inwardly. He wasn't one to complain but he hated running. It always reminded him of being chased by bullies before he came to this school.  
  
Yugi was shoved away from the group as they ran and made him fall behind. Tripping in the dirt didn't help either and he tried his best to catch up so his sensei wouldn't be upset with him too.  
  
"Yugi, you okay?" the teacher asked as Yugi made his way over after finishing the run. Yugi nodded. "Well, try and work on going a little faster, okay?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Ase, I'll try."  
  
"Okay, that's settled." He turned back to the rest of the class. "Alright everyone, you have choices today. You can play basketball, knockout, volleyball, tennis, jump rope, soccer, or you can run the track. Have fun!" He blew his whistle and everybody ran to where they wanted to go.  
  
Yugi walked over to the jump ropes.  
  
As soon as everybody jumping rope saw him coming over they picked up the last rope and used it to play double ditch.  
  
Yugi, not being very good at that game and didn't want to fall on the asphalt, turned and walked over to the where people were playing knockout.  
  
"Hey, can I play too?" He asked some of the players already out.  
  
"We don't want to many players so the line doesn't get long. Go somewhere else." They sneered and turned back to the game.  
  
Yugi turned around sadly and walked over to where they were playing basketball. "Can I play?"  
  
"Sorry shorty," they laughed, "you have to be this high to play." One of them rose their hand a few inches above Yugi and continued to laugh as he walked away sadly.  
  
He went over to where some students were throwing the volleyball around. "Can I play with you too?" He asked hopefully.  
  
"We've already gotten into a game and we don't want any other players." The three girls told him.  
  
"Okay then." Yugi turned and walked to the tennis courts. "Can I play?"  
  
"No way, you'll just keep dropping the ball. You actually have to have some skill to play you know."  
  
Yugi nodded and walked down to the soccer fields. "Whose team can I be on?"  
  
"How bout nobody's, loner." They told him snootily. "We don't want you to play."  
  
Yugi turned and walked back up the steps once more. He glanced over at the track and saw nobody was running it. He sighed and walked sadly towards it.  
  
"Hey, Motou!"  
  
Yugi looked up hopefully, thinking somebody was going to ask him to join their game, but fell again as he saw Mr. Ase coming over to him.  
  
"Yugi, you aren't doing anything. Are you feeling okay?"  
  
"Yes, sensei, I'm feeling fine. I'm just going to run the track."  
  
"All by yourself? Yugi, it isn't healthy to be by yourself all the time. Why don't you play with the other students today?"  
  
"No thanks, sensei. I. I'd rather get faster so I don't hold anybody up next time." Yugi told him before walking towards the track again.  
  
Ten minutes before the bell rang Ase called everybody in and told them to go wash up and change.  
  
Yugi walked gratefully towards the sink before anybody else came in the locker rooms, the other students putting the equipment they used away. He washed the grime off his face that had stuck to his face from running. His skin burned slightly from the dirt that flew at him from the wind and his eyes stung with dust.  
  
He walked over to his locker and quickly changed into his loose blue pants and black sleeveless shirt as the other students began to file into the locker room. He put his neck buckle and jacket on, quickly making his way outside so he wouldn't hear other rude comments thrown at him.  
  
~~  
  
The bell rang and Yami cheered silently, now free from the drawling voice of their history teacher.  
  
He waited for Joey and they walked together to their final class.  
  
"We need to make a few things clear now that things are getting on their way with this bet." Joey told Yami. "Did he answer you yet?"  
  
Yami hesitated. 'If I lie and tell him he said no than the bet will be over and I won't get it rubbed in my face that I lost and Yugi won't be hurt. But if Joey finds out he'll kill me and make sure I don't have sex with anybody for the rest of the year."  
  
"Yami! Earth to Yami!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What did Yugi say?"  
  
"He. he said yes." Yami inwardly scolded himself. 'I'm such an ass. How could I do this to Yugi just so I can have sex? Did Joey mean for this to happen when he set me up with him?' Yami wondered.  
  
"He did?"  
  
'He sounded surprised.'  
  
"Well. that's good then. Now to cover a few things." Yami nodded and waited for the blonde to continue. "You have to go on a date with once a week unless you have a very good reason for not doing so."  
  
Yami nodded. "Is that all?"  
  
"And you have to spend an evening with him as well and that doesn't count as a date. Like a night together sort of thing in one of your dorms and that doesn't mean sleep with him."  
  
"I know, I know." Yami said, irritated that Joey kept repeating that part of the bet. "Anything else?"  
  
"One more thing. No physical body contact except for hugs, kisses, and hand holding."  
  
"I already knew all this stuff, Joey." Yami told him as they walked to their seats and sat down.  
  
Joey rolled his eyes and listened as the teacher started talking about Japanese art.  
  
Yami nearly fell asleep as he listened to the teacher go on and on about the wonders and many magnificent things to do with it. Though he was a very good artist when he actually wanted to do the assignment, he chose to do it less often than not.  
  
~~  
  
While walking down to the cafeteria for dinner and meet Yugi, something caught his ruby eyes and he red the notice on the bulletin announcing a dance coming up the next weekend for Christmas.  
  
An idea sparked in Yami as he continued on his way. He stopped when he heard a few sniffles from around the corner. Looking around it he saw Yugi wiping a few tears from his eyes.  
  
Feeling like he was going to kill somebody if anybody hurt Yugi Yami wrapped his arms around Yugi and held him close. Yugi jumped at the sudden contact and, in finding it was Yami holding him, wrapped his arms tightly around the junior and let a few more tears leak from his eyes.  
  
"What's wrong, Yugi?" Yami asked when Yugi stopped crying after a few minutes.  
  
"N-nothing."  
  
Yami knelt in front of Yugi and held his hands. He brought them to his lips and kissed them gently. "Yugi, please, I don't want to see you cry and tell me it's for no reason. Did somebody say something?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Yami. I just didn't want to bother you with it."  
  
"You'll never bother me with it, Yugi. Please, will you tell me?"  
  
"Nobody would let me play with them in PE. The teacher said we could do whatever we wanted and I asked everybody if I could play with them but they were all mean and said they didn't want me to. So I ran the track by myself." He showed Yami his arms that were still slightly red from getting hit by a few small rocks.  
  
Yami kissed the red spots and stood. "Ignore them, Yugi. They don't know how stupid they're being by treating you like that when they have no right." 'Just like I feared they would.' He added to himself. "Are you hungry?"  
  
Yugi shook his head. "I'm sorry, Yami. I lost my appetite."  
  
"That's okay, Yugi, I understand. Do you still want to watch the movie in my room?"  
  
Yugi nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that. I'm going to go start my homework so I won't have to worry about it later."  
  
"Okay, try and feel better." Yami called after him.  
  
~~  
  
After finished his homework, Yugi put his books away neatly and turned his computer on. He entered his password and logged into his email account. He deleted some of the junk mail that was advertised to him and opened the address OldGamer@yahoo.com.  
  
Greetings Yugi,  
  
Hope everything is doing well with you. I'm very proud of your grades, they seem to be a little higher than last years. Everything is well here in the shop, but I haven't been able to tend it for a while now. My illness seems to have gotten worse I'm afraid and I spent the afternoon in the hospital yesterday getting checked over. I don't want you to worry about it though.  
  
Love, Grandpa  
  
Worriedly, he glanced at the clock in hopes he had time to right a response in case he forgot when he came back after the movie.  
  
Grandpa-  
  
I'm sorry you're still not feeling well. Have the doctors been able to do anything else with it? I hope they do soon. I have great news though! I've made a new friend! Actually, he's more than that now. I didn't tell you before because I didn't think it would last very long, but he's been hanging with me for a few days now, since Saturday. Today he asked me to be his boyfriend and I said yes. I wish you could meet him; he's amazing and really nice even if he doesn't have the greatest reputation here.  
  
I love you too, Yugi  
  
He clicked send and waited for the screen to refresh before shutting the computer down once more and headed down to meet Yami.  
  
~~  
  
Yami led Yugi down the stairs and through one of the halls. He pointed to a door as they past it.  
  
"That's Joey's room. He told me to show you which one it was in case you needed him for anything."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Yami led Yugi through his own door with the number 530 painted on it.  
  
"And this is my room. You're welcome here whenever you want or need me. I don't want you to hesitate if you do, even if it's late, or early, however you want to put it."  
  
Yugi giggled and nodded. "Okay, but does that mean you want me to wake you up?"  
  
"Whenever you need me. Even if you think it's something little. Promise me?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
"And even if I'm not here you can come in if you need to."  
  
"Okay. So what movie are we going to watch?" Yugi asked as Yami placed him on the bed.  
  
"One of my favorites."  
  
He popped the tape in the VCR.  
  
30 minutes into the movie Yugi was shaking with fear. He found it too scary but didn't want to ruin it for Yami and tried to hide his tears.  
  
Yami noticed a few minutes later though and quickly turned the tape off. "I'm sorry, Yugi." He apologized as he covered Yugi in a blanket. "Nothing's going to get you get you, everything will be okay."  
  
Yugi nodded and let his head be eased into Yami's lap by the gentle touches.  
  
"Maybe Night of the Living Dead isn't the best movie to watch, especially at night. Huh?"  
  
Yugi laughed lightly, but shook his head all the same.  
  
Yami pet his hair and helped him fall into an easy sleep. Not wanting to wake him, Yami laid Yugi's head on his pillow and lay down beside him to give him some of his body heat as he eventually fell asleep as well.  
  
~~  
  
Didja like it? Hope so! Don't you just hate Tea? I do with a passion! She's so irritating and I hate how she does those stupid and annoying friendship speeches all the time. Especially the one where she's dueling with Mai. Ick! I'm open for suggestions and reviews 24/7. Pwease send as many as you like.  
  
Idea inspired by Darkness (Changing of a Slut) 


	4. Accident

In the morning Yugi was a bit surprised by waking up in Yami's arms and nearly fell asleep again he was so comfortable had he not looked at the clock and realized he'd overslept a little bit.  
  
He turned to wake Yami when he noticed the junior was already wide-awake and watching him with a soft smile on his face.  
  
"Can I meet you in the cafeteria for breakfast? I want to go take a shower and change into clean clothes." Yugi told him in a sleepy voice.  
  
Yami nodded and released his hold on the boy's waist after giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, much to Yugi's surprise.  
  
"I am sorry about that movie, Yugi. I'll let you pick next time so you won't get scared."  
  
Yugi nodded and thanks and left the room as Yami began to undress. He walked all the way to his dorm and then to the bathroom with his hand on his cheek, loving the way Yami's lips felt on his skin.  
  
As Yugi was showering he heard somebody knock on his door and whisper for him to come closer.  
  
Curious he stuck his ear to the door and told the person that he was listening.  
  
"Don't have high hopes for Yami, loner, he's ours." The person told him harshly. "He's just using you until he gets bored and then he'll throw you away to find somebody worth his time. You'll never be good enough for him no matter what you do for him. Get that through your little head now." The person didn't wait for an answer back. They turned and walked away.  
  
In tears, Yugi quickly finished his shower and dressed, not going to the cafeteria like he told Yami, but instead heading a different direction.  
  
~~  
  
Yami was a bit worried when he spent the whole half hour of breakfast looked for Yugi when he wasn't in the dining hall.  
  
He walked by a few freshmen and recognized a couple of them from the first week of school when he wanted to test them out. He walked by and overheard them saying something about Yugi and getting him good in the showers earlier that morning.  
  
Anger flared and he turned on them. "What did you do to Yugi?" He asked dangerously, cornering the first years.  
  
"We-We didn't do anything, Yami. It was Jaice, he did it." Two of them stuttered, pointing to the redhead beside them.  
  
Yami nodded and let them go. No sense in hurting people who didn't have anything to do with it. "What did you do to Yugi?" He asked again.  
  
"Itoldhimthathewasn'tgoodenoughforyouandthatyouwerejustgoingtothrowhimawaywh enyougotboredwithhim." Jaice rushed out quickly.  
  
Yami growled low in his throat in warning for the first year.  
  
"I'm sorry, Yami. I told him that he wasn't good enough for you and that you were just going to throw him away when you got bored with him." The freshman rushed out again.  
  
"Where is he?" He shoved Jaice further into the wall.  
  
"I don't know. Honest Yami I don't know. I left after I told him." The younger cried.  
  
Settling for giving the younger student a black eye to ever try it again he ran off to find Yugi once more.  
  
'I hope nobody else got to him.' Yami wished as he ran through the halls to the library, praying Yugi might be there.  
  
The bell rang to signal for the start of classes again and Yami had still failed to find Yugi before he'd be late.  
  
~~  
  
At lunch Yami became more and worried and didn't bother staying in the cafeteria so he could have more time to look.  
  
It wasn't until dinner that night the he went outside for some air and he found the young sophomore huddled tightly in a corner, lips nearly the color of pale blue. He was shivering while trying to read one of his textbooks with a bunch of notes written on separate sheets of paper around him.  
  
Yami stripped off his jacket and wrapped it around the freezing boy, carrying him inside and up the stairs to the second floor for his room.  
  
He laid Yugi on the bed and covered him in the flannel sheets. Going to his closet he pulled out his bedside heater and set it a couple feet from the boy and turned it on.  
  
He climbed into the bed and held Yugi closer. He gasped lightly when he found Yugi's close a little wet from the frost that had been out al day. He jumped off the bed and ran back into his closet, trying to find something warmer for the younger to wear.  
  
Finding something that would work he walked back into the main room and over to the bed.  
  
Slowly, he undressed Yugi to his boxers and looked him over for any injuries just in case. He stared in shock at the few ribs he could see clearly through Yugi's skin before shaking his head dressing him in the sweatpants and loose sweatshirt.  
  
He climbed on the bed again and held the boy closer to him to give him more warmth. He brought the blankets closer around his shivering form and looked around the room to think.  
  
His crimson eyes landed on the book and pieces of paper he grabbed with Yugi. Looking at it he found it was Yugi's science book and the notes were for a test the must've been coming up.  
  
Yugi snuggled into the warmth, finally getting feeling back into his ice- like fingers and toes. His lips had gone from the light blue to a pale pink and some color had also returned to his cheeks.  
  
Yami was grateful for that and held the boy closer still, glad that Yugi had come out of hit trance like state and was looking for more warmth.  
  
'Stay warmth.my Yugi.' Yami thought with a small smile forming in the corners of his lips.  
  
Standing up with Yugi in his arms, he laid Yugi down on the bed once more and covered the teen in the sheets and extra blanket. He placed a small kiss on his cheek before turning and walking out of the room.  
  
When he returned a few minutes later with a bowl of warm sop he was slightly surprised to see Yugi crying silently in the far corner into of warming up in the bed still.  
  
Yami placed the bowl on the side table and walked slowly over to Yugi so he wouldn't frighten him. He wrapped his arms around the boy and lifted him, flinching slightly at how light the boy seemed and cursing himself for not noticing it when he carried him earlier.  
  
'Those coats he wears makes it seem like he weighs like he's supposed to.' Yami thought, holding Yugi close to him. 'They must also keep everyone from seeing how thin he really is. But with all the food.why doesn't he eat? Is he trying to kill himself because he's so lonely all the time?'  
  
He cradled Yugi in his arms until the sobs had subsided. Carefully, he shifted Yugi so his lips were next to the smaller's ear. "Yugi, please, tell me. what's wrong?" He whispered.  
  
Yugi sniffled and pulled back to look at him. "I-is it re-really t-true Yam- Yami?" He asked, his voice cracking slightly. "Wou-would you really le- leave m-me when you g-got bo-bored wi-with m-m-me?"  
  
Yami's eyes widened but he quickly shook his head. "No, of course not, Yugi. I would never do something like that to you. I. I could never hurt you like. that." He said, feeling guilty about the bet. 'If this is what upsets him I'm going to have a hard time telling him about this bet. Something about him. I just have to tell him when it's over. It's not like I could ever stay with him.' Yami paused in his thoughts. 'Especially after he learns about it.'  
  
Somebody knocked on the door and Yugi whimpered, thinking it was more people coming to tell him terrible things.  
  
Yami growled at the interruption and placed Yugi under the warm covers once more and kissing his cheek gently. "This won't be very long." He promised. Kissing him once more he turned and walked over to the door.  
  
Opening the door just barely to block the bed from view, knowing Yugi wouldn't like many people to see him like this, and saw Joey standing there. Sighing in relief at the sight of the blonde and not somebody else, he yanked Joey inside and closed the door.  
  
Joey took one look at Yugi shivering on the bed; his eyes glazed over slightly and started on Yami.  
  
"Yami." That's all the blonde got out before Yami stuffed a prepared sock in his mouth.  
  
"I knew you would do that." Yami shook his head slightly. "Honestly Joey, I couldn't do that with Yugi. At least not yet." He looked at the blonde once more. "Nothing happened."  
  
Joey spit the sock out and turned back to Yugi. "Well. what happened? I came here to see if you found him, and obviously you did, because by the way he's shivering it looks like something really freaked him out or he was outside all this time."  
  
"Both actually. Somebody said some. let's say bad things, to him this morning. He was outside nearly frozen and studying science when I found him during dinner." Yami pointed to Yugi's wet clothes in his hamper. "I changed him into warmer things and that's all I did."  
  
Nodding in understanding, Joey turned to Yugi. "Since you weren't at dinner to collect you mail you missed this." Joey pulled out an envelope and a small box. "I came here to give it to Yami since you two are together now and to see if he knew where you were."  
  
Yugi sat up in the bed and took the letter and the box. All the note said was congratulations with the grades. Hope you like it - gramps. Yugi smiled and turned to the box. Inside was a picture of his grandpa with his mother and father standing behind him. All of them were standing in front of the game shop and in his mother's arms was a small bundle that was a baby Yugi. Another note slipped out and Yugi read it too.  
  
Yugi, I've been saving this for a special occasion. I know how much you treasure this since you're parents are gone so I'm giving it to you so you can have it with you there.  
  
Tears came to Yugi's eyes as he looked at the picture but he quickly wiped them away, making a mental note to thank grandpa in the next email.  
  
Joey ruffled this teen's hair and smiled at him. "Feel better, Yugi. G'night." The blonde turned and left, Yami closing the door behind him.  
  
Looking over at Yugi, who was looking at the picture, and walked back into his closet. A minute later he came back out with a blue-framed picture frame for Yugi's gift and took the picture from the shaking hands.  
  
"Thank you, Yami." Yugi said gratefully and held the frame and picture close to his heart.  
  
"Anything for you, Yugi." Yami told him and climbed into the bed once more, holding the smaller teen close to his own heart.  
  
He closed his eyes and massaged Yugi's shoulders lightly while the other continued to hold his picture, opening them again as Yugi began to shift in his arms.  
  
"Thanks for being here, Yami."  
  
Yami nodded. "Anything for you, Yugi."  
  
Looking back to his desk he reached over and picked up the book, glancing questioningly at Yugi.  
  
Yugi looked down. "After I got dressed this morning I didn't feel good because of what somebody said to me so I decided to study for a big science test I have in a couple of days."  
  
Yami's expression was skeptical. "So you went outside in the freezing cold and nearly froze to death just to study and not go to class." Yami stated, what was wrong obviously in the whole action. "Yugi, why didn't you come to my room? I told you that you could whenever you needed to."  
  
More tears sprouted in Yugi's eyes. "I'm s-so sorry Ya-Yami. I di-didn't mean t-to wo-worry y-you. I j-just did-didn't wa-want to b-be a-a bur- burden on y-y-you."  
  
Yami held the younger closer. "I was really worried about you when I couldn't find you all day. When I finally found you outside you were frozen, even with all your jackets on.  
  
"I'm s-so so-sorry." Yugi cried into Yami's shoulder, mumbling continuously that he hadn't meant to worry him and he didn't want him to leave.  
  
Upon hearing this, Yami held Yugi away from him. "I know somebody bothered you about our relationship. That's how I know what happened. Did anybody else saying anything else to you about us?"  
  
Yugi shook his head sadly and wiped his nose on his sleeve before looking at the jacket and then back at Yami guiltily. "I'm so-sorry."  
  
Yami placed his finger to Yugi's lips to keep him from continuing. "Don't worry about the sweatshirt. It can always be washed and I have plenty more."  
  
He leaned over and replaced the book on the table before he picked up the bowl of nearly forgotten soup, now glad that he had made it as hot as he did because it was just right to eat now.  
  
He settled behind Yugi again and looking at him seriously. "I want you to eat more, Yugi." Yugi turned his head to look at Yami better with widened eyes. Yami answered him before Yugi could ask. "Yes, Yugi, I did see your ribs and they made me even worry about you more."  
  
Yugi looked away from Yami, too ashamed to look him in the eye. "I'm not used to eating very much. When my grandpa got sick and I had to go to school nobody could look after the game shop so there was no way of making money until I got home and finished my homework. I became so accustomed to it even after my grandpa could start working again that I just continued to eat less and before I knew it I was only eating a few bites every couple of days. I've tried eating more but it just makes me feel sick."  
  
Yami leaned over and kissed his cheek. "That's in the past, Yugi. I'm here now and I'm going to help you as much as I can."  
  
Yugi nodded gratefully and Yami started to feed him. He was able to finished a little less than half of the bowl before he felt like he was going to be sick and stopped.  
  
Yami sighed and nodded, knowing better to not push him too much, especially with the day he's been through.  
  
He tucked Yugi into his bed and crawled in afterwards to keep him warmer still. Yugi snuggled up to him and a few minutes later whispered Yami's name.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"That person earlier said that I wasn't good enough for you; that you would leave and throw me away when you got bored. Would you really do that, Yami?"  
  
Yami pet Yugi's hair soothingly. "Don't worry about him anymore, Yugi. It's not true; I would never just throw you away. I couldn't do that."  
  
Yugi nodded against him and soon fell asleep in Yami's arms for the second night, the older following shortly after.  
  
~~  
  
This chapter hopefully explained a lot. But don't you just hate bullies who pick on innocent people like Yugi? And Yami and Yugi got cuddle time! Yeah! And in the next chappy Yami's going to ask Yugi to go to the dance with him! That'll make Yugi feel better I hope!  
  
And if you people have any questions about the fic than you can always email me. As you've noticed I don't do that whole 'respond to the readers' thing at the beginning before the real fic comes up and take up a lot space. I kinda find those annoying so I don't do them. But if you email me than I'd be more than happy to answer them back for you.  
  
Inspired by: Darkness (Changing of a Slut)  
  
Ok, now there's something I want to ask you guys but it doesn't have anything to do with the fic but I'd still appreciated if you commented on it or email me about it.  
  
I have this friend, Rei, and she's my bestest friend in the whole world. When we went to school together we were inseparable, but now she goes to my school's rival school. Anyways, she has the friends there that she's had all year and I've met them once and they seemed like a great bunch to hang out; really funny and nice. Well, I think about last week she asked Megan to ask Amanda to call her back since she was over at her house but was busy and couldn't get a hold of her. Well she waited the rest of the day for Amanda to call but she never did and she called Megan at 4. At school she asked Megan if she remembered to ask Amanda to call her and she told her she did. Well Amanda was ditching school that day because her mom had to leave for work early that day and her dad doesn't live with her. That beside the point though; so since she wasn't there Rei couldn't ask her why she hadn't called. Later that week that group of friends were all at Amanda's house except for Rei. Kristin called Rei up at her house and she told her that they thought she was way too bossy and only cared for herself. But she's really not. Sometimes she jokes around but it's easy to tell so you don't get mad and that's it. Well Rei got upset and hung up on her and accidentally slammed the phone down. Her mom came out and asked what happened and so Rei told her what Kristin had said. A few minutes later Amanda called her and asked why Rei had hung up after being told the truth on the answering machine since Rei didn't want to talk to them until she had calmed down a little. The next day Rei and her mom went to the airport to say goodbye to her grandparents since they were flying back home that day and when they got home there were 22 new messages on her machine Only two of them had actual messages though and not just hang ups. One was Amanda saying that Rei didn't know why she was avoiding for no reason and the other was Kristin saying that she was just being stuck up. For the rest of that week Rei avoided her friends because she didn't want to get into this big fight especially so close to the end of the year.  
  
I just got told about this last night and Rei was still really upset about it. I didn't know what to tell her though and felt terrible that I couldn't. I'm sure all of us sometimes feel that way when one of our really close friends are hurt and you don't know what to do. I did the best I could though and told her everything would turn out okay. Well, I was wondering if some of you guys could help me out. I really care about Rei and since she goes to a different school than me I don't get to see her very much, only on vacations and stuff. I really would appreciate your opinions on this and maybe even give me a few suggestions that might help. Thanks. 


	5. Memories

Stepping under the hot spray of the shower after firmly locking the door, Yami let the stress from the long and tiresome day wash away to the drain. From shooing other away from him and with Yugi sick with a slight fever from the day before he decided a shower was the best thing to clear his mind. He didn't have any homework to do that night so he could focus completely on Yugi without worries.  
  
After cleaning up Yami headed back to his own dorm to get some well- deserved sleep so he could be up early and help Yugi study like he promised earlier. It was the only way he could make sure Yugi would sleep instead of reading from that science book while he was sick. He knew Yugi wanted to pass the test with at least a B and he needed to study hard since it was a good chunk of their grade as a final. With that kind of stress Yami had to make that promise, if he was feeling better and was up to it, or Yugi would never have gotten rest that day while he was in classes.  
  
He was about to lie down in his bed when he got a startled and unwelcome surprise that there was already somebody lying in his bed. Yami held his breath to try and calm himself down but he failed miserably as the thought of having sex kept passing his mind.  
  
Yanking the covers he glared at the bug lying in his bed like he owned it. "What the hell do you think you're doing in my bed, Underwood!?" He yelled as loud as he could in the teen's ear.  
  
Weevil's eyes shot open and he jumped out of the bed a good few feet before gravity pulled him down to the floor and at Yami's feet. "Yami, it's so good to see you again! Why'd you lock your door? Did you miss that note I sent you in History about coming around?" He asked innocently.  
  
"Get your ass out of my room! I don't want you or anybody else and nothing, I repeat, NOTHING WILL CHANGE MY MIND!" Yami shouted loudly. "Leave before I hurt you so bad you won't be able to move for a month!"  
  
"I love your dirty mouth, Yami. It was always a turn on for me and made it so much enjoyable." Weevil seductively licked his lips and tried to kiss Yami.  
  
The junior pushed him away forcefully, shoving him towards the door. "I don't want you!"  
  
"No, you need me." Weevil smirked, walking slowly back to Yami.  
  
Yami rolled his eyes in both disgust and utter annoyance before he gasped lightly as he was pulled down with Weevil. He landed on top of the bug- loving student as the fell on the bed. Weevil smirked at him once more and started rubbing his groin against Yami's and moaned lightly.  
  
Yami stifled a groan and tried to throw Weevil's arms, which were wrapped tightly around his middle, of him. He couldn't change the fact of how much he missed the sweaty and blissful passion of sex but he wasn't about to back down on his bet.  
  
Weevil's hands moved slowly down and squeezed tightly as they reached Yami's ass, continuing to rub against the older as another moan escaped his lips.  
  
Lightly, barely just heard, a hesitant knock sounded on the door. Weevil looked up and unconsciously let go of Yami in his slight surprise. Yami glared at the bug-lover and with his now free arms and hands threw Weevil off him, a squeak of shock coming from the younger. He clutched onto Weevil's collar as he pushed him against the door, anger rising by the second for what the sophomore had done.  
  
Thinking that Yami had changed his mind he started to rub himself against Yami's groin once more, moving his hand down to cup the juncture between Yami's legs. "I knew you'd change your mind. I knew I'd be the one who made you come to your senses." He whispered.  
  
The junior growled loudly. He threw open the door and tossed Weevil out and onto the floor roughly. "If anybody ever comes near me like that again I will personally remove their purpose for having a gender most PAINFULLY!"  
  
Weevil's face visibly paled quickly and he scuttled to his feet and ran as fast as he could down the hall for his life.  
  
"Yami." A quiet voice reached the older's ears. He turned slowly and saw Yugi, rosy cheeks and a few sweat beads sliding down his forehead from his fever, hugging his blanket around his petite form tightly and looking him with such innocence.  
  
Yami felt his anger retreating to be replaced by something else. He smiled and walked over to Yugi, wrapping arms around him and hugging him close. "Now what would you be doing out of bed with a fever liker yours?"  
  
Yugi hugged him back, hiding his face in Yami's shoulder. "I couldn't go to sleep. I feel so cold, Yami." He whimpered, shivering slightly in Yami's hold.  
  
Yami wrapped the blanket more snuggly around Yugi and picked him up and carried him inside, he noted how light Yugi still was. He placed Yugi on the bed and tucked the sheets around his lithe form comfortably. He turned back to the bed heater he left out for Yugi in case he came over and Yami was in classes, adjusting it so it would blow warm air across the smaller's face, but not so much that it was uncomfortable.  
  
Remembering that he hadn't thanked Yami for taking care of him Yugi opened his violet eyes, but before he could saying anything he noticed Yami was now wearing on his boxers as he was settled on the floor.  
  
"Yami, are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, Yugi, just a little hot."  
  
"You could open a window if you wanted."  
  
"No, then the warmth would escape and I want you to get better."  
  
Reluctantly Yugi agreed and fell asleep a few moments later to the soothing sounds Yami had put on the radio for him.  
  
~~  
  
Yugi awoke early the next morning like he usual did, feeling better than ever. Looking around for Yami he smiled slightly at the calm look Yami wore as slept on the floor.  
  
'He must've just gotten to sleep a little while ago. He's still trying to get comfortable.' Yugi noted as he slipped out from under the covers, feeling guilty. He pushed the 'off' button for the small heater and opened the window. 'Now I know how he must've felt last night. It's really stuffy in here.' He thought as he looked at Yami with an apologetic smile.  
  
He settled down beside Yami, leaning against the closet door for support, and kissed the taller on the cheek.  
  
The slight caress awoke Yami and he smiled happily at Yugi, seeing how he looked a lot better than he had the night before. He put his lips to Yugi's forehead and smiled. "You feel much cooler now. Your fever's all gone. How do you feel?"  
  
"Much better thanks to you, Yami." Yugi beamed as he crawled into Yami's lap and rested his head on his chest. "I'm sorry it was so hot in here last night."  
  
Yami tensed but it had gone unnoticed by Yugi. He took a deep breath before he answered, glad that his voice hadn't cracked. "It was no problem."  
  
"Why were you so angry when you threw your friend out of your room?" Yugi asked quietly.  
  
Yami stroked his Yugi's cheek and tried to shift but only made his predicament worse and his breath hitched. Luckily for him Yugi failed to notice once more. "Nothing to worry about" He answered quickly.  
  
Yugi smiled and snuggled more in Yami's lap, wriggling around to get comfortable. He accepted that answer and decided to rest a little more.  
  
A few minutes later he looked back up at Yami with a smile. "I'm going to go take a quick shower." He jumped up and bounded for the door.  
  
Yami breathed a sigh of relief but quickly remembered the dance as he heard the door open. "Yugi wait!"  
  
Yugi abruptly stopped and looked back at Yami with confusion. "What's wrong, Yami?"  
  
"Uh. nothing's wrong, Yugi. See. ano(1), I was going to ask you sooner but I never got the chance. I. I wanted to know if you'd like to go to the Christmas dance with me?"  
  
Yugi's smile brightened and he ran back over to where Yami was now standing and kissed him lovingly on the cheek, hugging him tightly around his waist as well. "I'd love to go with you, Yami! I didn't think you'd want to though!"  
  
"Of course I would. Now, go take your shower."  
  
Yugi nodded and ran back out of the room, his day starting off wonderfully. 'I can't wait the dance; I'm so excited! Tomorrow's going to be perfect with the dance to look forward to that night!' Yugi thought eagerly.  
  
~~  
  
As soon as the door closed Yami took a deep breath and leaned heavily against the closet door. 'Good thing Yugi didn't notice what he was doing. That would be really embarrassing.' Yami took another relieved breath to calm his body down further.  
  
Yami had so many things to be relieved for too and also kinda proud that he had said no to his body's demands. For Yugi had accidentally shifted one to many times in Yami's lap the minute he settled there. He had been causing a pleasure filled friction every time he shifted in Yami's lap and had ended up rubbing against his groin in the most blissful way. Yugi would have also been scared out of his mind had Yami not been able to contain himself being the most he was relieved for. And least of all there was still the bet. He would've lost severely had he had sex with Yugi; raped him.  
  
'I'm not losing this bet. And I refuse to harm Yugi like that! I refuse to be a rapist and especially to something so innocent and pure! To be something so. so. " Yami's anger froze as he thought about that memory; that horrible memory that cause things to turn around for the worst.  
  
*~Flashback~*  
  
Yami scowled as he sat on his bed. His mother and stepfather had just returned from the honeymoon last night and he refused to sit by and watch them, watch him ruin the perfect life he had with him mother. He shivered as he thought about his stepfather.  
  
"I won't call him that." Yami whispered dangerously. "I won't ever respect him. He'll never be my dad even if I never knew my real one."  
  
A knock sounded on his door and he asked who was there.  
  
"It's your mother." A soft, sweet voice called from behind the door.  
  
Yami smiled and went to the door and unlocked it. "Yes, mother?" He started but glared at the other person behind her. "Keith." He nodded barely at him.  
  
"Yami, can't you be more."  
  
"You wanted something mother?" He interrupted before his mother could finish.  
  
"I wanted to know if you were hungry? You've been up here all day and I've only seen you once since we returned last night. With you returning to school next month I won't be able to spend very much time with you until next summer. Couldn't we do something together? All three of us?"  
  
Yami had loved the idea of spending time of his mother but he quickly scowled at the idea of all three of them together. "I'm sorry mother, I'm going to be a bit busy and I'm trying to finish. an application for college that needs to be sent in soon." He quickly lied, not wanting to upset his mother by telling her the truth.  
  
"When did you get an application?" His mother questioned surprised. "You didn't tell me when you mailed all those times. Why didn't you?"  
  
"I wanted it to be a surprise if I got in."  
  
"Well I'm certainly surprised." His mother leaned over and placed a loving kiss on his cheek. "I'm very proud of you, Yami. Maybe some other time then?"  
  
Yami nodded as he looked over her young face. Emerald green eyes glittered in the light of the room and her dark red hair hung down at her waist and blonde bangs framing her youthful face.  
  
She nodded back at him with that sweet and gently smile on her face and turned back to the stairs.  
  
Keith hung back to glare at Yami and the teen glared right back.  
  
"You'll never be right for my mother or me." Yami growled.  
  
"You don't have a choice, shrimp. So sit back and enjoy the ride while you can because soon you won't be living so high." He snarled back.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
Yami refused to remove his eyes from their stare first so he took the time to wonder how his mother could accept his proposal of marriage; he wasn't even handsome in his opinion. From the tacky American flag-designed bandanna to his sunglasses he barely off took off and then the large combat boots he always wore; Yami hated every inch of him. He even kept that useless stubble of a beard because he believed it was stylish.  
  
Finally Keith broke their stare as he retreated down the steps and Yami closed his door loudly to show he wasn't welcome in the house.  
  
'You're all talk, Keith. We'll see how long you last with my mother before I'm free to tear you limb from limb for even daring to marry her.'  
  
~A few weeks later~  
  
A light tap sounded on Yami's door and he looked up from his book. "Whose there?" He asked after he heard quiet tap. Out of curiosity he stood and went to the door and unlocked it to see if someone was there.  
  
After the click was heard the door burst open and Yami fell to the floor from the force. Before he could look up his mouth was gagged and his door was once more locked. He began to struggle but he was easily picked up and thrown on the bed, his book falling carelessly to the floor. Glancing up he saw Keith now leaned over him and he glared, trying hard not to show the slight fear he had for what would happen.  
  
"I told you that you should've enjoyed your freedom while he could because now you're mine shrimp." Keith chuckled.  
  
Yami tried to call out from somebody but the bandanna effectively reduced his voice and muffled his words.  
  
His clothes were torn from his body like they were rags and Yami's bare form was shown to Keith. Yami growled and tried to cover himself but Keith pulled his hands back and laughed.  
  
"Try whatever you want, punk, but it won't work. Everyone's gone and your mother believes we're bonding. This house is empty minus the two of us." Keith laughed out once more as he removed one hand from Yami and stripped himself down.  
  
Crimson eyes widened as the most unbelievable pain tore through his body.  
  
*~End of Flashback~*  
  
"I won't end up being like. him." He whispered. Wrapping his arms around himself much like he had the night he lost all control of his life. He didn't cry though, just shook himself and tried to clear the memories away to the depths of his mind.  
  
After eventually calming himself Yami's thoughts wandered to the bet Joey had on him. And then to how Yugi would act if he ever found out. After being so happy for the first time since he's been to the school. He already had a lot of trust in Yami. How would he act after being that happy just to find out it was fluke all along and Yami really had no intention of wanting to go out with him?  
  
'Should I tell him about the bet when this is over; could I do that to him?' He wondered. "No. I couldn't. He doesn't deserve that." Yami answered himself in a whisper.  
  
~~  
  
That night Yugi was sitting at his desk, reading the email his grandpa had sent him.  
  
Hello Yugi,  
  
No, I'm afraid the doctors haven't found anything yet. They've tried giving me something new and it seems to be working a little better than the last, but not by much. I'm so glad that you've found a friend at last, Yugi, and more than that as well. I'd love to meet him if I could. Would there be any chance you could bring him with you when you visit home next week for the holidays? I'm sorry he doesn't have a good reputation, but I'm sure you can do something about that. You always try and do something to make it better for somebody.  
  
I'll have to be ending now. Hope to hear from you soon and I can't wait until you visit. Love, Grandpa  
  
Yugi smiled as he read the reply over again before clicking the send button on the screen to answer back  
  
Hey Grandpa~  
  
I'm glad you found something that helps a little better. I might even help more than you think. I'm sorry I didn't reply back to you so quickly this time. I was feeling under the weather and I had a bad fever too. Yami, my boyfriend, took care of me though. I feel all better now thanks to him. He even promised he'd help me study for science test that's coming up since it's a big part of my grade. And that's not the best part! Earlier today he asked me to go to the Christmas dance with him that's occurring tomorrow night! I'm so excited about it! I'll have to ask him if he can visit with me though so I'll get back to you on that. I can't wait to see you either. And don't worry; I will help change him if I can.  
  
Love Ya! Yugi  
  
He clicked send and sat back in his chair as he watched as his digital Curse of Dragon took his letter and flew away. The little movie always made him laugh as he saw it.  
  
After his Celtic Guardian and Dark Magician fazed onto the screen with the message 'EMAIL SENT' in between them. He clicked okay and the two Duel Monsters faded back out.  
  
He turned the computer off and turned around to click his lamp off to go to bed. Before he could push the small button for the lamp though his wrist was forcefully grabbed and he gasped looking around him quickly as three peoples' very pissed off faces just before his lamp was clicked off for him and he was plunged into darkness. 


	6. Healing

Yugi awoke in the morning with a killer headache and pain surging throughout his entire body. Looking on the floor he saw a pool of his blood and one look at his arm was all he needed to know where it came from. He tried picking himself off the floor, ignoring the blinding pain that screamed at him to lie back down.  
  
He looked around on his bed for something to put on his arm and looked sadly at his blanket. He picked up his small treasure that he's had since he was a small boy and pressed it as hard as he could to his cut open arm to stop the bleeding. He then stumbled out of the room, leaning against the walls to help support him.  
  
He made it all the way to the boy's bathroom door before he collapsed onto the floor, exhausted from pain and weak from blood loss.  
  
He heard a small gasp behind him and gentle arms wrapped around his petite form, cradling him. He felt somebody else come up on the other side of him.  
  
The person holding him spoke. "He's so thin. Bakura. I can actually feel his ribs and his vertebrae plainly."  
  
Yugi was shifted carefully into his he guessed must've been Bakura. He moaned as he moved, the pain lighting up before it began to throb once more.  
  
Bakura answered the one previously holding him. "You're right, I can feel them too, Ryou."  
  
"What do you think happened to him?"  
  
"I'm not sure. The best guess would be that somebody beat him up."  
  
Ryou gasped again. "B-but why? Bakura! Why would somebody do that to him?"  
  
"I don't know, Ryou. Some people. are just like that."  
  
"That's terrible! There's nothing right about this!"  
  
"I know, love. We'll just have to help him the best we can."  
  
Yugi heard them talk between each other more, but he drowned the words out. Finally, he felt like he could open his eyes. Violet eyes blinked almost tiredly into the dull light of the hall.  
  
Ryou noticed the movement and he looked back up at Bakura. "Look, Bakura, his eyes are open."  
  
Bakura nodded as he continued to look at Yugi's innocent face. "I see, Ryou." He told the other. He then addressed Yugi. "Don't worry, you're safe now. Just try and rest and we'll take care of everything."  
  
Yugi wasn't sure about it but since they were helping him they must not be so bad. He would've nodded but it hurt too much. Instead, he just closed his eyes and rested against Bakura once more.  
  
He felt his blanket being removed from his arm and he was too weak to protest against it.  
  
Ryou gasped for the third time and Bakura mumbled 'Oh Ra' under his breath as they saw his badly bleeding gash on his arm.  
  
Bakura looked at the blanket now beside them and saw how much blood had soaked into it. He then noticed the fine cursive sewn into one of the corners. Looking at it, it read 'Yugi'. He got Ryou's attention and showed Ryou the name.  
  
Ryou gasped and looked at Bakura with shock written clearly in his eyes. He mouthed out to Bakura that this was the person Joey had set him up with to meet that one Saturday.  
  
Bakura nodded back before something seemed to click in his mind. "This must be Yami's new boyfriend. Malik told me about me."  
  
Ryou was surprised greatly by hearing this. Whom Joey had referred to as a quiet, lonely, and shy boy was dating Yami, the well-known slut of the school.  
  
"Ryou, can you hold him?" Ryou nodded and they shifted Yugi carefully between them once more. Bakura went into the bathroom and pulled a bunch of paper towels out of the dispenser, wetted them, and ran back out. "Hold the towels to his arm. I'll be right back." He then rushed off down the halls.  
  
Ryou deiced it was best to let Yugi rest but not let him go to sleep in case whoever hurt him had hit his head hard. He kept talking quietly to him and sometimes have him answer back to be sure he hadn't gone to sleep.  
  
A few minutes later people running down the hall could be heard and then a large gasp before Yugi's name was called. Ryou looked up and Yami running quickly towards him and Yugi.  
  
Bakura knelt next to Ryou. "Yami will help us now, Ryou. I'm going to go get more paper towels for his arm."  
  
Ryou nodded at him and slowly started to shift Yugi into Yami's lap while Bakura went back into the bathroom to get more paper towels, the ones Ryou were using now dyed a deep red.  
  
Yugi whimpered at being moved once more before he was once more in a warm lap. He opened his eyes again and they teared up as he saw Yami's worried expression. He tried to offer a weak smile and whispered, "It looks much worse than it really feels, Yami. Don't worry."  
  
Yami just shook his head and cradled Yugi to him as close as he could without hurting Yugi further.  
  
Yugi closed his eyes and snuggled into Yami the best he could. He felt the paper towels on his arm be replaced and easily heard the gasp from Yami, knowing he'd seen the gash on his arm as well.  
  
Tears made their way past Yugi's eyes as he cried into Yami's shirt. He hadn't wanted to cry, especially in front of Yami. He wanted to be strong but it hurt too much and now that Yami knew it made things so much more worse.  
  
Bakura turned to Yami. "We should get him to the nurse quickly."  
  
Yami nodded. "Yeah, will you help?"  
  
Bakura nodded and Ryou stood beside him, nodding as well.  
  
"I'm sorry, Yugi, if I hurt you." Yami spoke softly in the injured teen's ear before starting to lift him off the ground. He whispered comforting encouragements and nothings to Yugi until he was standing up completely.  
  
He didn't want to walk to quickly and jostle Yugi into more pain but he walked as fast as he could, Bakura by his side.  
  
Ryou walked into the bathroom to throw away the bloodied paper towels and to wash his hands. Walking back out into the he noticed the once forgotten and very ruined blanket. He felt terrible that Yugi's blanket had gotten damaged and he was almost positive Yugi had no other choice if he didn't want to bleed all down the halls.  
  
He picked up the blanket and walked off to his and Bakura's room, determined to help the poor boy all he could.  
  
~~  
  
Meanwhile, with Yami and Bakura, they finally reached the nurse.  
  
Yami placed Yugi on the bed while Bakura went to look and see if the nurse was busy with anybody. Luckily she wasn't and hurried along to the main room. At seeing Yugi she shooed the other two teens away while she worked.  
  
Sensing Yami wasn't there anymore Yugi's eyes shot open and he looked around himself quickly. He saw Yami just going out the door and then saw the nurse walking towards him with a prepared syringe. Gathering all the strength he could muster he looked back Yami now leaving fearfully. "Yami! Yami wait!" He called as loudly as he could.  
  
Yami turned back around, concerned. Seeing the look Yugi was giving him he looked back at the nurse questioningly. She gave an irritated nod and he rushed back over to his smaller boyfriend. He wrapped his arms around him Yugi hid his face in the taller's neck.  
  
"I don't want to be alone, Yami! Please don't leave me!" Yugi cried out, his voice being quieted in the older's neck.  
  
Yami comforted him the bed he could. He knew Yugi was hiding the real pain, but he wanted Yugi to get better and for that the nurse wanted him to leave even if neither wanted to. "I have to leave so the nurse can help you without me getting in the way." Yami tried reasoning. "I'll come back."  
  
"No! I don't want you to go! I won't let you!" Yugi refused, he held on Yami tightly even though it was killing him to hold on so hard.  
  
Yami pulled away after easing Yugi's grip to lessen. "I promise, Yugi," He swore, looking into the other's eyes. "I promise to you that I'll come back and stay as long as I can. I'll keep my promise if you keep yours, are you listening?" At Yugi's hesitant nod he smiled at him and gave him a small kiss on the forehead. "I'll keep my promise if you promise that you'll stay as strong as you can while the nurse works on you. Do you promise?"  
  
"I promise, Yami." Yugi muttered out, obviously still not liking Yami leaving.  
  
"That's my Yugi. I'm going to leave now, ok?"  
  
After a hesitant nod from Yugi, Yami kissed him once more on the cheek and turned to leave. He gave a small wave and a smile before he closed the door behind him.  
  
Yugi turned his amethyst eyes to the nurse. He squeezed them shut as the nurse stuck the needle into his arm and didn't open them again she took it out. After a few minutes the throb of pain was barely noticed and he fell asleep a little after that.  
  
The nurse smiled at his now resting and peaceful form. She caressed his cheek for a minute, thinking how could anybody hurt something so innocent. She then started to work on Yugi's injuries without having to worry about causing the sophomore anymore pain than needed.  
  
~~  
  
Before Yugi woke up Joey came in to see him. The blonde quickly became pissed to see how bad Yugi was and ran off to look for Yami so he could kill him for what he did. He had no idea that it was somebody else, three somebody else's, who had hurt Yugi.  
  
~~  
  
Yugi awoke a few hours later. He blinked a few times to clear his sleepy vision before looking around. He thought about why he was there for a minute and his thoughts landed on Yami. His amethyst eyes widened at the memory of the dance and he looked frantically around for a clock, but couldn't find one. It was then that he noticed he'd been moved to one of the separate rooms to the nurse's quarters so no noise would bother him while he slept.  
  
Looking down at his arm he saw that it was now bandaged. 'I wonder what else got hurt?' He wondered. Slowly, using the side table and the bed, he stood and walked slowly towards the mirror beside the door.  
  
He stared back at his reflection he saw a small band-aid on his cheek, a few bruised on his other arm, and his legs didn't have anything except for a bruise around his ankle in the shape of a hand where one of his attackers had grabbed him to pull him harshly back to them when he tried to crawl away.  
  
Yugi jumped slightly when the door beside him creaked open and he turned to see who it was. A smiled brightened on his face when he saw it was Yami.  
  
Yami smiled back at him and opened his arms as the boy ran into them. He picked the sophomore up in his arms carefully in case he was still sore, and walked back over to the bed, sitting down on it.  
  
After a few minutes Yugi pulled away and placed a small kiss on Yami's cheek. "Where did you go?"  
  
"I just had a few things to do. Nothing to worry about." Yami responded, still holding the teen in his arms. He then became serious and kissed Yugi gently on the head. "Yugi, what happened to you?"  
  
Yugi froze when he heard Yami's question. 'I was hoping he would just hold me and not ask about it.' He thought. He took a deep breath before looking back up at Yami. He explained everything that had happened from how it started all the way to where Ryou and Bakura had found him, tears falling down his cheeks at the horrible memories.  
  
Yami comforted as Yugi began to cry. He calmed him down before pulling away and kissing his head once more in a soothing gesture. "I need to know who the three people were that attacked you, Yugi. If we let them go this time they'll keep coming at you and I don't want you to get hurt again, especially like this and even more for the reason behind it. Do you know who they were?"  
  
Yugi shook his head and looked down. "No, I didn't know who they are. I'm sorry Yami."  
  
"That's okay, Yugi. Don't worry." Yami hugged him. "How about what they looked like? Can you remember?"  
  
Yugi nodded slightly. "Yes, there were two boys and a girl. One of the boys had black hair and the tips had been dyed red and it was pulled back in a ponytail; he also had dark blue eyes. The other boy was shorter than him but taller than the girl and had blonde hair and brown eyes." Yugi stopped.  
  
Yami thought hard for a minute but then shook his head. "I have no idea who they could be. I've been with too many different people to remember what some of them looked like. What about the girl?"  
  
Yugi though for a minute, looking down at the floor in concentration while he bit his tongue. Yami thought he looked adorable but he tried not to think much about it or he was going to end up with some problems he didn't have time to deal with right then. Yugi then looked back at Yami again, smiling and nodded. "I remember now! She had about shoulder length, maybe a little shorter, and it was brown and her eyes were kind of light blue. She was really bossy and kept saying stuff like she was the only one for you and the only one who could truly pleasure you too."  
  
Yami's crimson eyes hardened and he growled under his breath. "Tea." He softened again as he looked back down at Yugi while thinking of death plots for Tea who spoke to Yugi in a soft voice. "Try to get some more rest, Yugi. I'll take care of everything and be back as soon as I can."  
  
Yugi nodded and lied down in the bed while watching Yami open the door before he remembered something. "Yami?" Yami looked back questioningly. "Are we still going to the dance?"  
  
Yami smiled at him. "We'll see how you're feeling when the time draws nearer, I promise."  
  
Yugi nodded and closed his eyes just as Yami was closing the door as he left.  
  
~~  
  
While looking for Tea a few minutes after left the nurse's office Yami was suddenly slammed harshly against the wall by a very pissed off blonde.  
  
Joey growled as he choked Yami. "What did you do to Yugi?" He demanded.  
  
"I didn't. Yugi. other pe-pe-ple. hurt." Yami gasped out. "Look-oking. them."  
  
Joey released his hold on Yami. "What'd you say?"  
  
Yami gasped for air as soon as he was released. Finally catching his breath, Yami turned back to Joey. "I said I didn't hurt Yugi, other people did. I was looking for them when you decided to choke off my air supply." He repeated, rubbing his neck where Joey had held him.  
  
"What do you mean 'other people did it'? Who would want to hurt Yugi?"  
  
Yami took a few more breaths before he started telling Joey everything that Yugi had told him minutes before. He told them what the two guys looked like, but then told him he knew the girl.  
  
"Who?" Joey growled deep in his throat.  
  
"Tea."  
  
There was no other word in the entire universe that could make anybody else more heated and fumed than Joey was with that one name.  
  
Both now extremely mad, they went off in search of the bitch that hurt somebody too innocent and pure that didn't deserve anything that her and her accomplices gave him. 


	7. The Dance

Yami and Joey stepped into the lunchroom and looked around. Finding their target, the two walked over to the table Tea was sitting at.  
  
Yami smiled seductively at and she smiled sweetly back up at him, giggling in what she thought was a cute and flirtatious way. "I wanted to thank you, Tea, for what you did to Yugi last night."  
  
Her smile widened and she giggled once more at him. Yami had to suppress a gag as he continued to smirk at her. "You're very welcome, Yami. Now maybe we can be together again just like before."  
  
He smirked at her and offered her his hand, which she took giddily. He then led her out of the cafeteria, moving seductively, Joey smiling evilly at Tea's back as he followed.  
  
Once away from everybody else's prying eyes Yami's smirk glowered quickly into an evil frown as did Joey's.  
  
"What's going on, Ya." The brunette was quickly cut off as Joey's fingers wrapped around her throat and held tightly. She tried to scream for somebody to help her, namely Yami, but it was no use. She also tried to struggle, but that too failed.  
  
"You bitch! How could you ever do something like that to Yugi! He never deserved it! This is MY choice and I don't belong to anybody! If you ever lay your repulsive hands or even your hideous eyes on him again I WILL make you pay!" Yami cursed as loudly as he could.  
  
"That goes for your two accomplices too!" Joey added in a growl.  
  
Yami turned and made to head out but stopped at the corner of the hall and turned back around. "And I meant what I said in the hall; about thanking you for hurting him. It just gives me a bigger excuse to hate your fat ass."  
  
Joey released her and followed Yami, leaving Tea gasping for air. "Where did my plan go wrong!?" She cried out in a screeching loud voice.  
  
~~  
  
Yami and Joey returned to the nurse's office only to be surprised that Yugi's room was now empty.  
  
Yami rushed over to the nurse. "Where did Yugi go, Miss Morosu?"  
  
"Oh the adorable sophomore who was in here earlier this morning? He was feeling well enough to go to his own room for more rest. I thought he would like it better than in here and there wouldn't be as much noise in case more students came in." The nurse explained.  
  
Yami nodded and thanked her and then the two of them left quickly for Yugi's room, but it was also devoid of he sophomore.  
  
'Where could he. wait! I know!' Yami thought. He turned to Joey. "I know where he is, Joey. I'll go though, I want to be alone with him."  
  
The blonde wasn't too high on leaving Yami with Yugi alone with the younger so vulnerable but nodded anyway. 'I better learn to trust him. He still has a week left for the bet. I just hope he lets it out easy to Yugi if he decides to tell him when this is over.'  
  
Yami thanked him and then turned down the hall for the stairs, heading for his own dorm.  
  
The junior opened the door to his room slowly so he wouldn't startle Yugi if he was awake. He smiled when he saw the small bundle sleeping peacefully on his bed, curled up and hugging the pillow to him.  
  
He then noticed some extra clothes hanging on his chair. He knew they were Yugi's clothes since he wouldn't wear something like that, but didn't know what they were for. 'Maybe he wants to stay here with me for an extra day just to feel safe. After what happened last night I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to be with somebody.'  
  
Yami heard the bed squeak and a quiet voice mumble out his name. Looking up he saw Yugi's half open violet eyes smiling back at him. He smiled too and went over to him.  
  
"Did anybody pick on you when you went to your dorm?"  
  
Yugi rubbed his eyes to get the sleep out before he shook his head. "No, I. I wanted to ask you something. Could we. can we - if you want to I mean, we don't have to. Well, I was just wondering if we could still. if we can still go to the dance tonight?"  
  
Yami smiled and nodded. "Of course we can, Yugi; if that's what you want. Anything for you, little one." Yugi smiled and hugged Yami, thanking him over and over again.  
  
"Do you still want to go with me?" Yugi asked quickly as an afterthought.  
  
"Nothing would make me happier. Do you still want to go with me?"  
  
Yugi nodded and hugged Yami once more before getting up and heading for the door. "I'm going to get some things together then. Is that ok?"  
  
Yami nodded. "Get out of here then. Be careful though."  
  
"I will. See you later." He closed the door behind him.  
  
~~ Yugi gathered his shampoo and condition along with a towel for his shower; his clothes were already in Yami's room so they could leave as soon as they were finished getting ready. He glanced at the computer and then at the door, he blushed and went over to turn it on.  
  
He logged into his account and clicked on the button that said 'COMPOSE EMAIL'  
  
Hey Grandpa,  
  
I miss you. I can't wait to see you next week over Christmas break. I haven't had the chance to ask Yami if he wanted to come with me or if he had plans of his own. I'll probably end up asking him tomorrow though since tonight's the dance and he asked me to go with him. I don't know, it just doesn't seem like the time to ask him then. I was just about to leave so we can get ready together but. I wanted to tell you something and I think you really should know. I just don't know how to say it. It's better to just get it out though instead of prolonging it. Grandpa, I think I'm falling in love with Yami. I know it's only been a week but I really feel like I'm already in love with him. He's never hurt me; always protected him and stood up for me against others who don't like our relationship. Yami makes me feel so happy and he really cares for me. He's always making sure I'm safe and makes me feel so loved. He doesn't care what other people think about us either. I just really needed to tell you this, Grandpa. I hope that it's okay with you and I promise I'll ask him if he'd like to come with me Sunday for the week to visit with you.  
  
Love, Yugi  
  
He read over the email for mistakes and blushed once more as he read over it, feeling his heart flutter especially when he came to the part about loving Yami.  
  
"I really do," he whispered to himself, "I love Yami. I truly love him."  
  
He smiled as he clicked the send button and logged off once more, hurrying out of the room.  
  
~~  
  
That night Yugi and Yami went to the boy's bathroom together. Yami wanted to go with Yugi so nobody could try and hurt him again. They showered and then returned to Yami's room where they dressed for the dance. Yami dressed in tight leather pants and a black button-up silk shirt. Yugi wore loose powder blue pants and a white button-up shirt.  
  
Yami went over to the mirror and put on his neck belt before turning to smile at Yugi, opening his arms as the little one smiled back and walked over to him for a hug. "Are we going to have fun, Yugi?" He asked after pulling away.  
  
Yugi nodded eagerly. Yami smiled at his enthusiasm and kissed him on the cheek. He then offered his arm to Yugi, who took it happily, and they walked off to the cafeteria for the Christmas dance.  
  
~~  
  
Upon reaching there Yugi gasped and looked around in awe. "Yami, it's so beautiful! They did a great job decorating, it looks gorgeous!"  
  
Yami turned to smile at Yugi as the younger looked around the room, still looking in disbelief. He gazed at Yugi longingly and agreed. "Yeah, very beautiful."  
  
Yugi didn't notice as he continued to ogle at the decorations now put around their lunchroom. The tables that students ate at during mealtimes had all been replaced by two long table, filled with different sorts of foods from soups and hams to cookies and other sweets, were now set up in the back by the wall. Red, green, silver, and gold ornaments were set up around the room giving it a beautiful and magical look and feeling. A large and nicely decorated Christmas tree sat in the middle of the room, face snow and tinsel surrounded it on the ground.  
  
People had already arrived for the dance. Some were eating, others were talking with other students, and a few were dancing with soft music being played by the DJ in the corner.  
  
Yami spotted Joey and his other friends in the back eating and talking and he turned to Yugi once more. "Are you hungry, Yugi?" He asked, a bit of hope dripping into the question.  
  
Yugi was about to shake his head 'no' but hesitated and, after remembering what Yami had said about trying to eat more, he slowly nodded.  
  
Yami smiled down at him and they headed over to the tables and towards his friends, Yugi clinging to Yami's arm as they did.  
  
Ryou spotted Yami and then Yugi a second later. He pointed to them for Bakura and everybody else. They all greeted Yami and then everyone except Joey, Ryou, and Bakura looked at Yugi curiously, though Malik had an idea of who he was since he was with Yami.  
  
"Yugi this Malik and Marik," he told the younger and pointed to the couple, "and Bakura and Ryou you met this morning, you already know Joey as well, and this is Seto, his boyfriend. Everybody, this is Yugi."  
  
Malik smirked. 'I was right then. Much better than the person Joey originally had for the bet though. I wonder if they're going to tell Yugi when this is through.'  
  
Yugi glanced at Ryou and Bakura and he smiled, stepping up to them. "Thank you for helping me earlier. I wouldn't have been able to come if I had been found any later, I think."  
  
"Anytime Yugi, don't worry about it." Ryou told him. Bakura nodded and looked up when a fast song started up.  
  
Marik smiled evilly and grabbed Malik's arm to drag him over to where everyone was dancing. Bakura soon copied his best friend's actions with his own lover along with Seto and Joey doing the same.  
  
Yami turned to Yugi to ask him if he'd like to dance too, but stopped when he saw Yugi starting to nibble on a cookie and decided to wait until he was finished. A small smile made its way to his lips at the thought of Yugi eating on his own rather than having to have food placed in front of him and having somebody watch to make sure.  
  
Yugi finished a short while later after his second cookie and decided he had better not push it so much. He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled when he saw Yami's sparkling garnet eyes smiling back at him.  
  
"Finished?" Yugi nodded. "Would you like to dance with me?" He gestured to the dance floor where nearly everybody else was dancing to the song.  
  
Yugi's smile widened and he nodded happily. "I'd love to, Yami!" He took Yami's offered hand and they walked towards where their friends were dancing  
  
Yami chose it was best to go slow with Yugi since he didn't seem like the kind of person who danced often. He was glad when Yugi seemed to be enjoying himself though and became more comfortable as the songs went on. When another slow song started up though he frowned as he saw Yugi freeze up.  
  
Yugi looked down to the floor a second later. "You don't have to dance with me for this song if you won't want to, Yami, I'll understand." He looked up in surprise though when he felt Yami's strong arms slide around his thin waist and pulled him closer. He saw Yami smiling down at him.  
  
The junior leaned down to Yugi's ear whispered into it. "I'd love it if I could have the honor of dancing with you for this song as well. Would you please dance with me?"  
  
Yugi blushed and nodded, reaching up hesitantly to wrap his arms around the older's neck and rest his head comfortably on the taller's warm chest.  
  
Ryou opened his eyes for a minute, his cheek resting on Bakura's shoulder, and smiled at the couple. 'They look really good together, even if it wasn't supposed to happen.' The white-haired sophomore thought to himself. "Bakura? Look at Yami and Yugi."  
  
Bakura looked up and was surprised at how perfect the two looked together. He leaned over and tapped his best friend on the shoulder, pointing to the third couple when he looked up. Marik then showed Malik, then Malik showed Joey, and lastly Joey showed Seto; all of them thought they looked good together, even Joey and was surprised by that.  
  
After the song ended Yugi and Yami pulled slowly away from each, missing the warmth of the other immediately. Yami leant down to give Yugi a gentle kiss, but Yugi pulled away and tilted his head slightly and pressed his lips against Yami's.  
  
That surprised Yami but a few seconds later when he felt Yugi start to pull away he felt bad because he knew Yugi must've thought that kissing him like that was a mistake. Quickly, but not to startle the younger, he pressed his lips back to Yugi's. He felt Yugi's hold on his neck tighten slightly and the smaller pressed closer against his lips once more.  
  
When they pulled away a minute later both were smiling and panting slightly, looking into the other's shining eyes of either amethyst or ruby red.  
  
Yugi leaned up and whispered into Yami's ear after regaining his breath. "Thank you, Yami. Thank you so much for giving me my first kiss."  
  
Yami nodded and nuzzled the other's cheek with his nose as he continued to hold Yugi to him, neither caring much about the fast song now playing.  
  
Malik decided to give the couple their personal space and the others caught on as well once he turned back to Marik and prompted him to dance some more, not that it took much effort.  
  
~~  
  
When the dance was nearly over Yami and Yugi were by the tables watching the others dance, Yugi having gotten tired long ago. Though he protested and said he didn't want to stop if Yami didn't want to, Yami continued to tell him he didn't mind and he was actually getting tired himself.  
  
Yami had his arms wrapped around Yugi as the little one leant against him for support because of his tired legs and he leant against one of the tables. They would've sat down but other tired dancers and couples all occupied the chairs put in the decorated lunchroom for such occasions and you never could tell what could be on the floor towards the end of dances, no matter which one.  
  
The junior looked down curiously as he felt Yugi slide down and smiled as he realized the younger was half asleep and crashing fast. He leaned down and wrapped his arms securely under the younger's arms and lifted him, holding him in his arms comfortably as the smaller went to sleep with his head resting tiredly on his shoulder. "Hold on, little one, we'll get you to bed so you can sleep more comfortably."  
  
He would've laughed as the other mumbled to him in response. "I am comfortable, 'Ami."  
  
Yami decided it was best to leave then anyway before the crowds at the door became to large to get out quickly. As soon as he reached the door he heard another mumble from Yugi and asked him to repeat what he said.  
  
Yugi's violet eyes opened tiredly. "I want to dance the last slow one with you. Please Yami, if you don't mind. Can I?"  
  
"Are you sure? Will you be able to make it?"  
  
Yugi nodded tiredly and Yami walked over to the edge of the dance floor so they could leave easily before he let Yugi down.  
  
Yugi's arms wrapped loosely around Yami's middle, too tired to reach up and go around his neck, and Yami's arms wrapped around the smaller's waist to hold him up incase he started to fall asleep once more.  
  
It seemed like the song ended too quickly before Yugi started going to sleep once more. Yami leant down, "I think it's time to go now." He whispered. Yugi nodded sleepily and Yami lifted him into his arms once more.  
  
Just after they got outside the door Yami felt Yugi press a tired kiss to his cheek and a near silent whisper into his ear. He stopped and asked Yugi what he had said since it was so quiet. Yugi's head came up and pressed a sleepy kiss to his lips and pulled back so as he spoke his lips rubbed against Yami's. "I love you, Yami. I want to be with you for as long as I can if not forever." Yami was so surprised he early dropped Yugi to the floor.  
  
Before he could respond to Yugi the younger's head fell back to his shoulder and he fell asleep for good that time.  
  
Yami walked on in shock the rest of the way to his dorm room. He laid Yugi down on the bed before he started undressing into something more comfortable to sleep in, all the while thinking over what Yugi had said and the words echoing through his mind.  
  
'I love you, Yami. I want to be with you for as long as I can if not forever.'  
  
He looked back over to Yugi when he finished dressing and a few tears made their way past his unwilling red eyes. He walked over to Yugi and fell next to him and holding him closer against his body.  
  
He then choked on his sob as he rubbed his eyes against Yugi's chest. "I love you too, Yugi. So much I don't know what to do now. It scares me so much. Just please. please don't leave me alone. I don't want to be alone."  
  
He fell asleep and his dreams were plagued with the terrible night when his stepfather stole what was his only to give.  
  
//"Such a beautiful body. So tight inside and all for me. And now I'll make sure nobody will ever want you since you're now tainted with another's seed, namely mine." The venom of his stepfather reached his ears as he continued to scream for older to stop.// 


	8. The Train Ride

Yami moaned as warm, feather soft kissed were placed on the bare skin of his chest. He shifted under the touches and sighed in satisfaction as the mouth giving him his pleasure rained more hot kisses on him.  
  
He felt his body react faster to the person above him than to anybody else he'd ever been with before.  
  
When the perfect touches moved lower though one thought came to mind and it had nothing to do with his bed.  
  
'Yugi!'  
  
His crimson eyes shot open and his hands held the shoulders of the person hovering over him. Once he blinked away the sleep from his eyes garnet orbs he met amethyst ones in shock. Astonished and surprised at what the innocent little one was doing he could barely find words to form.  
  
"Yugi!?" He asked in disbelief after a minute. "Wh-what are you doing?"  
  
Tears sprang into Yugi's eyes and he backed away in fear. "D-did I do some- something w-wrong, Y-yami." He shivered as though for some reason Yugi thought he would hurt him. "I-I thought you li-liked it."  
  
Yami sat up, causing Yugi to fall into his lap and he wrapped his arms around the younger and held him close. "Yugi, what were you doing? What made you want to do something like this?"  
  
Yugi hid his face in Yami's bare chest and as tears quickly sped down his cheeks. "I wa-was just do-ing wh-what you wan-wanted. wh-what you ex-expec- pected m-me t-to do."  
  
Yami was surprised by his answer but didn't say anything in case he said the wrong thing. He rocked the sophomore back and forth and eventually started whispering things to the younger to get him to calm down and stop crying. "Shh, Yugi, everything will be okay. I'm not upset, I promise. Try to calm down now."  
  
After a few minutes Yugi calmed down. "I heard people talking at the dance," he mumbled sadly, "I heard that you had to do. had to do it with the person who asked you to the dance. They said it was a rule, Yami. I didn't want to disappoint you."  
  
Yami continued to hold and comfort Yugi. He had the slightest suspicion the people knew Yugi was around when they said that and meant for him to act like this. "I don't expect anything like that of you, Yugi; I promise I don't. I don't want you to do anything you aren't ready for. I only expect one thing of you, Yugi, and that's to be Yugi. Do you understand?"  
  
He felt Yugi nod against his skin and he pulled the little one back to look into his eyes. He wiped the stray tears away before he smiled. "Yugi, I want you to be the first to know that I'm going to change. at least try to anyways. I don't like the way things turned out and I've messed my life up so much already but I want to turn it around the best I can."  
  
Yugi looked at him in confusion. "But. I thought you wanted to. I thought you liked it and that's why you did it. Why didn't you stop when you knew you didn't want it?"  
  
Yami shook his head and kissed Yugi on the forehead. "It isn't as easy as that, little one, it really isn't though I wish it were."  
  
"I'm sorry, Yami. I didn't mean to." He laid his head on Yami's hest once more and wrapped his arms around Yami's neck.  
  
"It's okay, Yugi. my Yugi. I know you didn't mean it."  
  
Yugi smiled at what Yami said about being his and snuggled in more. "Will you hold me. please Yami?"  
  
"Of course, Yugi, anything for you."  
  
After a while Yugi remember his promise to his grandfather that he sent in his last email. "Will you come with me today to visit my grandpa with me? He wanted to meet you." He asked sleepily.  
  
"I'd love to Yugi."  
  
"I'm sorry for the short notice. Are you sure you don't want to visit your parents?"  
  
Yami flinched and held back the urge to correct Yugi and tell him he only had a mother, but he knew that would make Yugi feel even worse. "Don't worry about it, Yugi. I wasn't going to go home anyways."  
  
Yugi looked up at him curiously. Yami shook his head though to show he didn't want to talk about it. Yugi understood since he too had things he didn't want to say or tell Yami nor anybody else just yet.  
  
After a few more minutes the couple went back to sleep in each other's arms.  
  
~~  
  
When Yami awoke again in the morning Yugi wasn't there with him like he usually was. He looked around anxiously, afraid that somebody had come in after the fell asleep again and took away, until he saw a note on his desk. He walked over and read it, glad that it was from Yugi.  
  
Yami~  
  
Sorry I wasn't here when you woke up. I needed to pack a few things for my grandpa's before we leave today and I'm sure you need to do the same. I'll come by later though and help you if you want.  
  
~Yugi  
  
Yami thought that was a good idea since the train left at noon and he just got invited a few hours earlier. He hadn't planned on going anywhere this winter break and was glad Yugi asked him to come along so he wouldn't have to spend a week alone.  
  
He walked into his closet and started rummaging around for things and throwing them out the door to put into a bag later.  
  
~~  
  
Around ten a quiet knock was heard on the door and Yugi was there with his light looking bag.  
  
"Hey Yugi. I'm almost done so you can make yourself comfortable, okay?"  
  
Yugi nodded and sat on the bed and watched as Yami continued stuffing things into his already stuffed back.  
  
~~  
  
Afterwards they went down to the lunchroom for an early lunch like everybody else who as leaving on the train at noon. They ate and then headed down to the train station together after Yami came back from getting something.  
  
They managed to get a compartment to themselves but Yami was convinced that people just didn't want to be near them so they could plot what to do next. Some people might even be scared that Yami would do something to them for their stunt on Yugi at the dance.  
  
The first hour of the train ride was uneventful. The only thing Yami found interesting was how adorable Yugi looked when he was asleep. He'd fallen asleep about half an hour after the train started moving and Yami moved his head into his lap so he'd be more comfortable.  
  
Somewhere in the second hour Yugi had woken up and rubbed his eyes cutely. "How long was I out?" He asked sleeping, yawning adorably afterwards.  
  
"About an hour." Yami responded. He continued to watch Yugi wake himself up more. He couldn't keep his thoughts about how adorably cute Yugi was no matter how hard he tried.  
  
In the third hour Yami had suddenly gotten the urge to hold Yugi and, though it surprised the sophomore when his arm suddenly wrapped around him and warm kissed were placed gently on his neck, he welcome them wholeheartedly. They spent that hour in each other's arms and loving touches.  
  
In the fourth hour it was Yami's turn to fall asleep and he did so with Yugi still laying comfortably in his arms. And their position made it so Yugi couldn't move without disturbing the older, but he didn't care since he was rather comfortably.  
  
In the fifth hour the sky had darkened slightly, but not much. Yami also woke up and noticed easily how stiff Yugi seemed after letting him go.  
  
"I'm sorry Yugi. I didn't mean to fall asleep like that. You could've woken me up if you wanted."  
  
"No it's okay. Don't worry about it." He blushed. "I-I like it anyways; it was comfortable."  
  
Yugi's stomach then growled and he looked down. "I guess I should've taken something to eat in case this happened."  
  
Yami smiled and ruffled his hair before turned standing on the bench and pulling his bag down from the shelf above the bench. He rummaged around in it for a minute before pulling out a brown paper bag. He replaced his bag on the shelf again before sitting back down. He opened the bag and pulled out two sandwiches, handing one to Yugi.  
  
"Eat as much as you can but don't overdo it." Yami told him.  
  
Yugi smiled at him and nodded. "How did you get them?"  
  
"After lunch I went and got them. I knew we'd eventually get hungry along the way."  
  
'Why didn't I think of that too? He must think I'm a scatterbrain.'  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, no Yami, I'm fine. Thanks for getting them."  
  
"No problem."  
  
Yugi nodded and unwrapped the plastic around his sandwich before taking a bite. "It's really good."  
  
Yami smiled. "I'm just glad they didn't spoil during the ride or anything."  
  
Yugi managed to finish half of his sandwich before his stomach started to protest at the take of food and felt like throwing it up, still not used to the food in his stomach after starving himself for so long.  
  
"I'm going to see if I can find the bathroom." Yugi stated before standing and going for the sliding door of the compartment.  
  
"Little one, there aren't any restrooms on the train." Yugi looked down as he held onto his stomach, wincing slightly at how his stomach continued to churn.  
  
Yami noticed, though he could tell Yugi wasn't trying to make a big deal about it. He put his sandwich down beside him and brought his legs up on the bench so he was laying down on it. He scooted back until he back hit the ball beside the door comfortably. He motioned Yugi to come closer and the younger did. He rested his head on Yami's chest as he settled between Yami's legs completely relaxed and content, also lying on his back so he wouldn't be pressing into his stomach.  
  
"Comfortable?"  
  
Yugi nodded. "I feel a little better too. Thanks Yami."  
  
"I'm glad." He caressed Yugi's cheek for a second before picking Yugi's half-eaten sandwich from his small hands and wrapped it back in the plastic baggy for later. He then picked up his own sandwich and finished it off.  
  
They spent the rest of the hour they had for the train ride in that position; both completely comfortable in each other's arms.  
  
Yugi rested against Yami while the junior held him and caressed his stomach to ease it down further.  
  
When the train stopped stop Yami grumbled. "Baka train ride. It stopped too soon and I was really comfortable."  
  
Yugi giggled and stood up, holding his hand out for Yami. Yami took it, still grumbling about how everything gets ruined when he starts to enjoy himself.  
  
He took down his bag and replaced the half-eaten sandwich into the brown bag and then placed it back into his own bag. He then pulled Yugi's smaller bag down from the shelf. When Yugi tried to take it though he smirked and put it out of his reach.  
  
"I'll carry it for you. That way you can look for you grandfather without worrying about it."  
  
"Ok Yami, thanks."  
  
They slid open the door and out into the narrow hall, heading for the main door like the other students pushing and shoving to get out. Yami rolled his eyes at how impatient some people could be.  
  
Stepping out onto the platform Yugi's violet eyes instantly started darting around for a familiar face he'd been anxious to see since the train left the school's station. Yami followed his little love while carrying the two bags. He would've helped but he didn't know what Yugi's grandfather even looked like; another reason he carried Yugi's bag for him so he wouldn't rude.  
  
"Yugi!" A joyful call from a little ways away yelled a few minutes later.  
  
Yugi turned around in excitement and a large smile instantly grew on his face. "Grandpa!" He burst into a run and into the old man's arms.  
  
Yami turned and watched Yugi happily as he hugged who he guessed was Yugi's grandpa since Yugi called that out before he ran to him. His garnet eyes turned to the two other people beside the old man, a taller old man and a blonde girl about Yugi's height, thought Yami guessed she was younger than Yugi.  
  
It was then that the blonde girl noticed him and her eyes widened. "You look like Yugi!" Her voice was a little high and it strangely reminded Yami of Tea's voice, which annoyed him greatly.  
  
The two older men looked up at him too and he felt uncomfortable under their stares, but he didn't let it show. Yugi looked over at him too with a big smile plastered on his face and he wriggled out of his grandpa's hold to run over to him and give him a big hug too.  
  
Yami placed the bags on the ground before wrapping his arms around him as well, a content and relaxed look on his face.  
  
The three others walked over. The man that Yugi hugged was the first to speak.  
  
"You must be Yami, Yugi's boyfriend. I've heard a lot about you. I'm glad you could come."  
  
Yugi nodded and Yugi looked, still gleaming excitedly. "Everybody this Yami, my boyfriend. Yami that's my grandpa, my grandpa's friend, Arthur, and his granddaughter, Rebecca." He told him while still rubbing his cheek against Yami's leather vest lovingly.  
  
'So I was right. He was Yugi's grandpa.' Yami thought in satisfaction at having guessed right. He squeezed Yugi for a second at feeling the younger's hold around him squeeze as well.  
  
"Why don't we get going so you two can put your things away? Then we could get something to eat." Yugi's grandpa suggested.  
  
Yugi looked up at Yami and the older smiled back down, giving him a look that said 'do the best you can, even if it's just a bite.' Yugi nodded and let go, the couple following the other three after Yami picked up their bags. Yugi walked in between his boyfriend and his grandpa holding each of their hands and repeating how much fun he was going to have this week.  
  
Yami stayed silent the whole time, which wasn't unusual for him, but he was fairly surprised when Yugi's grandfather held him back from the car.  
  
"You three go ahead and get in. We'll be there in a minute, I just want to speak with Yami."  
  
He seemed to be studying Yami up and down before he actually began speaking to him. "I'm glad that Yugi found someone who makes him very happy. If you ever hurt him or do something he doesn't want you'll be paying for it very dearly. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
Yami didn't seem fazed by his threat but the teen nodded nonetheless. "I have no intention of hurting Yugi in any way. I'm trying to actually change from the person I'd been. I want to get away from my obsession." He turned his head to look at Yugi with sad eyes, which were looking back at him worriedly, his eyes clearly showing that he was scared about what his grandpa was saying to him. He gave a reassuring smile to his koi before he started to speak again, still looking at Yugi. "I don't like how any of it turned out and I've tried to get rid of it, but I couldn't. I admit that I have a problem but I'd love nothing more than to get rid of it." He then turned back to the old man, his red eyes gleaming with unshed tears but he refused to let them fall. Yugi's been helping me very much so, even if he doesn't realize he is sometimes." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I love him."  
  
Yugi's grandfather was surprised by those last three words said so quietly but smiled and nodded to Yami. "I apologize if I seemed to forward just now. He's been hurt so much already and I don't want that to happen to him again." He then turned to head back to the car. He looked over his shoulder. "I am glad that you came. Yugi's very happy you did." As an afterthought he added. "You can call me Solomon if you want."  
  
Yami nodded and watched as the aged man walked to the car and climbed into the passenger seat. He then turned his attention to the sky for a minute to clear his head, a solitary tear sliding down his cheek. He wiped it away, ashamed that Keith could still hurt him after so much time and even being with the one he loved.  
  
He looked back to Yugi's still worried gaze in the window before whispering to himself with full determination. "I refuse to be his plaything this summer like he was the last." He started to walk towards the car. As he walked his whispered to himself further. "I promise I'll never sleep with anyone beside my love ever again. I'll never tell him about mine and Joey's stupid bet." And just before he opened the door he made his most meaningful promise that he'd ever made in his life. "I swear I'll never let him go."  
  
He then climbed into the car and closed the door, Yugi instantly sliding in beside him and wrapping his arms around him and hiding his face in Yami's chest. "What happened? You had tears in your eyes?"  
  
Yami wrapped his arms around Yugi as well and held him closer as the car started and Arthur drove out of the parking lot. "It wasn't anything to worry about."  
  
Yugi let it drop even though he was sure his grandpa had said something to upset his older koibito.  
  
The junior closed his eyes and relaxed in Yugi's arms and rubbed his fingers up and down Yugi's spine before his eyes opened and widened. 'What the.?' He pressed his fingers in harder, but not so much that it would hurt Yugi or make it seem uncomfortable. 'I can still feel his vertebrae just as clearly as before. It's like he hasn't been eating at all.' He lifted himself up to test Yugi's weight, but made it seem like he was shifting himself. He held in a gasp. 'He's lighter too it seems. But how? He's been eating, I've seen him. How can he eat and lose more weight.'  
  
~~  
  
About half an hour later the car parker in front of a small shop and everybody got out. Yugi bounced in through the doors and looked around excitedly like a four year old in a candy store that was just told he could have as much as he wanted.  
  
When Yami walked in and glanced around to get a feel for the place Yugi turned around to look at him before laughing and running over and giving him another big hug, rubbing his face into the leather vest once more before running outside again.  
  
Yami would've laughed at his boyfriend's antics had other people he barely knew not been around to hear it. He didn't want to give them an impression of somebody he wasn't.  
  
The blonde girl, Rebecca Yami remembered proudly, walked over a gave him a pat on the back that he wasn't very fond of receiving. "Loosen up, will you? We're all family here now."  
  
He rolled his eyes and walked outside to find Yugi by the trunk trying to yank his bag out. Yugi smiled when he saw him and waved him over, asking for help. He did so and pulled his and Yugi's bags out and carried them into the game shop, following Yugi. He was led through the back, behind the counter, and past the living room. They were now in the house half of the game shop. He trailed after Yugi up the stairs and into what he supposed was Yugi's bedroom.  
  
"This is my room." Yami smirked at another correct guess. "We'll be sharing it since I'm sure you don't want to sleep with Rebecca or Arthur in the guest room downstairs or on the couch either."  
  
Yami nodded and looked around to get a feel for it like he did with the game shop. It wasn't anything special like his mother did to his room but it worked. It defiantly seemed more cozy than his room already. It had a large bed by the window, a closet on the opposite wall, a side-table beside the bed with a lamp on top of it, and another door that showed it lead to a bathroom.  
  
He looked back down at Yugi and the younger smiled back at him. "What do you think? It's nothing special but. "  
  
"No, it's fine Yugi. Don't worry about it."  
  
"But everyone at school says that you room is filled with expensive stuff." Yugi looked down. "I was afraid you wouldn't like knowing that I can't fill my room with all that kind of stuff."  
  
"Hey," Yami knelt down and looking up into Yugi's amethyst eyes, "I said don't worry about, okay. I don't do anything with that stuff anyways. It's just my mom's way of saying sorry she can't be around a lot."  
  
"What about your dad?"  
  
Yami stiffened. He avoided it the first time by keeping his mouth shut but this time he set himself up. "My dad died when I was little. My mom had to work overtime afterwards because of everything that happened. She got so use to working so much that she started to like it and now she works so much I barely see her when I'm at home."  
  
Yugi's eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Yami. Why didn't you tell me last night when I. "  
  
"I told you not to worry about. This is supposed to be our fun week together without having to worry about school or jealous classmates."  
  
"Okay Yami."  
  
Yami was about to ask Yugi what he discovered in the car to see if he knew anything but the annoying blonde girl was back.  
  
"Yugi, Yami, we're going to go to Hamburger World for dinner! We're leaving now!" She screamed excitedly at them even though she was standing right there in front of them.  
  
Yugi smiled and nodded. "Okay Rebecca. Yami, you're going to love this place. It has the best burgers you've ever tasted." Yugi told him enlivened, leading him down the stairs once more by his hand.  
  
Yami didn't feel much like eating with the gnawing feeling in the back of his mind that alarmed him about Yugi. 'I wonder if Yugi's ribs are the same way as his vertebrae too. I'll to check somehow later. If Yugi knows about it though he might try to hurt him and I don't want to force him into showing me.'  
  
He took his seat beside Yugi once more and Yugi snuggled up into him once more.  
  
'I wonder if Solomon knows about Yugi's condition as well. Yugi said something about his grandpa knowing about it when they couldn't afford much but then he started thinking he started eating again once the game shop got more into business.' He looked down at Yugi and another thought entered his mind. 'I wonder if Solomon cares about how we act around each other. It's better to be on the safe side though not to do as much as I would at school. I don't care what those people at school think but I don't want Yugi's grandfather to get grossed out or something like that.  
  
The car parked in the parking lot of Hamburger World and they entered the fast-food restaurant. Yami felt irritation towards the many kids running around and screaming in the place like they had gone wild upon entering.  
  
Yugi took his hand and led him up to the counter and pointing to the menu since it was his first time being there. He decided on a regular hamburger and a soda before he realized he hadn't brought and cash with him, not having the need to at school, and it was all back in his room at home safely hidden. He was about to start hitting himself when it seemed as though Yugi had read his mind.  
  
"Don't worry about money, Yami. My grandpa will take care of it for you."  
  
"Yes, just enjoy yourself. And if you really want to you can pay me back, but it doesn't matter to me either way."  
  
Yami nodded and they continued to order for the themselves. "Thank you, Solomon. This is very kind of you."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Yami."  
  
They sat down in the booth that Arthur and Rebecca had been saving for them.  
  
When the food arrived Yugi seemed to get much quieter than he was back at the game shop as he looked at him nervously, his hands absently coming up and holding onto his stomach. He continued to stare at the burger as though it was suddenly come to life and eat him instead. The expression on his face clearing showing that he was deciding upon making himself sick by eating it or not eat it at all and having everyone except Yami asking him if he was well.  
  
Yami wanted to hold and comfort his younger koi but since he was on the opposite side of the table the best he could do was wrap his legs around Yugi's. Yugi looked up and smiled at him. The smaller of the couple picked up his strawberry shake and took a small sip out of it. Yami smiled back and gave a slight nod before taking a sip of his own soda.  
  
~~  
  
As Rebecca and Arthur took their trays to the trash bin, Solomon turned to Yugi and felt his forehead. "Yugi, do you feel well? You hardly ate anything at all."  
  
Seeing the looked on his koibito's face Yami's question he wondered about in the car earlier was then answered: Solomon didn't know that Yugi had continued to not eat even after be able to afford more than he enough once the business picked up. He took Yugi's hand in his own and turned his gaze to the old man. "Don't worry, Solomon, I'm sure Yugi's still a bit full from earlier. You see, we had a big lunch before we left and then we also had something to eat about an hour before the train ported in the station."  
  
A look of relief passed over the old man's aged face. "Thank you, Yami. I wouldn't want Yugi to be getting sick during his Christmas break off."  
  
Yami nodded at him before turning to look back at Yugi after the old man stood and headed off in another direction. Yugi was giving him a grateful look before they too stood up and left for the car, following the other three.  
  
Yugi cuddled into Yami's side to let his complete trust flow into his boyfriend. "I love you, Yami." He whispered.  
  
Yami froze but quickly recovered. Still not used to such emotions coursing through him for just one person. He shook it off though and looked back down at Yugi's softly smiling face. "I know, Yugi. I love you too."  
  
Yugi smile widened before he closed his eyes and rested his head against Yami's chest to relax during the drive back to the game shop. 


	9. Christmas and After

It was the next day that Yami had awoken in his bed alone. On the side table beside him was a note from Yugi that said he and his grandfather had gone out for last minute Christmas shopping and Yugi didn't want to wake him.  
  
Yami rolled his eyes at the note and got up to get dressed and find something to do until Yugi got back. The first thing he tried was TV but there wasn't anything on. He went into the game shop to look around but thought that he had somehow lost interest in it without Yugi bouncing around it and showing him everything himself. He went back inside and looked at all the movies the had but out of the dozens and dozens nothing seemed to catch his interests if there wasn't going to be an adorable smaller teen above him, snuggling into him as they watched the movie.  
  
~~  
  
It didn't take Yami long before he was completely bored and believed he was going to go crazy if Yugi didn't get home soon.  
  
'That's it! Yugi defiantly makes everything worth it! My life is so. dull without him around as the light of my life!' Yami decides finally.  
  
He gets up from the couch and wanders into the kitchen and finds Rebecca making X-mas cookies.  
  
"Hey Rebecca, could you use any help?" 'I must be completely desperate.'  
  
No matter how annoying the blonde girl may be to him he was anxious to make time go by faster than it had been going for him.  
  
"Sure Yami. There're more aprons in the cupboard over there so you don't get your clothes dirty. Then you can wash your hands and I'll show you what to do from there." She replied eagerly.  
  
Yami walked over to the cupboard and pulled out one of the aprons. As he tied it in the back he walked over to the sink and washed his hands, drying them off afterwards. Walking back over to the blonde she showed him how to get the dough less sticky and then how to roll it up so they could get better shaped cookies.  
  
Handing him a few cookies cutters she smiled at him. "You can start with these if you want or there's more over there on that table. I think that's everything."  
  
Yami nodded and started on his own dough, picking up a circle-shaped cookie cutter to begin with.  
  
'If this doesn't help make time go by at least a little faster then I'll shoot myself and then go out looking for him.'  
  
~~  
  
When the duo in the kitchen ran out of flour Rebecca turned her head over to Yami. "Hey, Yami. Since you aren't working on anything right now could you go get one of the bags of flour from the garage? I'll finish up the rest of this tray and put it in the over for you." She offered.  
  
"Okay." He took the apron off and wiped his hands clean before exiting out to the garage.  
  
"Thanks. They should be near the back against the wall if you go right." She called after him.  
  
Yami looks around the dark room and feels his way along the wall for the flour bags where they indicated. Unable to see the boxes though he tripped over them and landed on his back. He laid there in complete irritation. 'Why isn't there a goddamn light switch!?' He felt like screaming it at the top of his lungs.  
  
"Oh Yami, I forgot to tell you there's a light switch to the left of the door just as you come in! And you might want to watch out for the boxes of toys for the game shop!" Rebecca called out.  
  
Yami growled low in his throat. 'And she now decides to tell me. How convenient of her to happen to forget that and tell me not to trip over boxes I already had tripped over.' He got up back towards the light that was coming through the crack below the door and felt around for the light switch to the left of it. After the lights blinked on he walked back over to the boxes he tripped over and put the toys and card packs back inside and pushed them aside.  
  
He then looked for the flour bags again, rubbing his back.  
  
"They had to be plastic toys I landed on, didn't they?" Yami grumbled out.  
  
He found the flour bags shortly later and picked the first bag off the pile and walked back to the door.  
  
Once just outside the kitchen though he finds out that landlord and lady luck don't like him that particular day. A hole on the bottom of the flour bag tears open and the contents inside flood out onto the floor and completely over Yami himself. And to prove how much that wasn't enough, Yugi and his grandpa walked in through the front door just as it happens.  
  
Everything is silent as everyone takes in Yami's new appearance and the mess at his feet before stifled giggles could be heard by the door.  
  
Yami looks over towards the door and was ready to glare at whomever it is, but stops himself as he sees Yugi was the one trying to stifle the sniggers. Pretty soon the giggles turned into a round of unstoppable and uncontrollable laughter. Yugi was gasping out apologies to Yami the best he could to Yami without choking on air at the same time.  
  
Yami just watched him and can't seem to bring himself to care that somebody was laughing at him. He probably would've ended up laughing along if there weren't other people besides Yugi around to hear him. He would do anything for Yugi; he loved him. And if that meant the younger found the situation that funny at the moment than who was he to stop his fun?  
  
'He doesn't get to laugh very much at school. I'm glad he's happy.' Yami thought as the sweet sound of the rare laughter coming from Yugi rung through his ears.  
  
After Yugi finally calmed down he helped Yami to the bathroom so he wouldn't make a bigger mess and then goes back to the kitchen to clean the floor for his koi.  
  
Yami comes out a few minutes later, ready to clean the mess he made, when he sees Yugi just as he's finished cleaning it for him.  
  
Yugi stands and, when he notices Yami standing there, smiles at him shyly; his eyes begging to be held.  
  
Who was Yami to refuse his koibito such a request? He opened his arms in invitation and the younger happily runs into them, rubbing his face against the leather of Yami's vest.  
  
Yami kisses the top of his head and rubs his cheek into Yugi's soft, spiky hair before whispering to the smaller teen. "You didn't have to do that, Yugi. I would've done it."  
  
Yugi pulled his face away from his nuzzling and smiles up at him, still shyly. "I didn't mind Yami, I was glad to help the one I love." He looks down to hide his face. "I'm sorry for laughing at you."  
  
Yami hugged Yugi tighter for reassurance. "Don't worry about it, Yugi. It sounded nice to hear you laugh like that for once."  
  
"Really?" Yugi looked back up at him.  
  
Yami nodded and the younger hugged him tighter to him. "Thank you for cleaning it up though."  
  
"Your welcome, Yami. I love you so much." Yugi whispered back.  
  
Yami's heart swelled at the words and his eyes teared up. He didn't want Yugi to look up and see and end up thinking that he said something wrong or had done something to upset him so he pulled the little one against him once more and hugged him tighter. He felt even guiltier about the bet the younger knew nothing about, but even more love for the smaller teen that he thought he was capable of.  
  
//"Nobody's going to want you now" Keith smirked; poison dripping from his lips and the comments continued to ring in Yami's head. "Nobody will ever want you for you. They'll only lust for your body when I'm through with you. And then they'll leave you if you ever try to tell them what you've been through. They'll think that you're a disgusting whore who enjoys this kind of thing." Keith laughed as he continued to pound mercilessly into the broken body below him. "You're worthless, Yami. You always will be. You're a burden on your mother and you are on this world for the sole purpose of pleasing others with your perfect body."//  
  
Yami shook his head to clear it and wiped his tears away shamefully before looking back down at Yugi in his arms comfortably. He squeezed tighter just slightly before releasing the younger.  
  
Yugi looked up at him with worry. "Are you okay, Yami? You started shaking like you were scared of something."  
  
"No, little one. I'm fine, don't worry about me." He smiled lovingly at him.  
  
Yugi smiled back just as Rebecca walked in.  
  
The blonde smiled at the cute picture the two made with each other before clearing her throat for attention. When the couple looked at her, waiting, she smirked. "There's some cookies in the kitchen that could use a little decorating. I was wondering if you two would like to help while I'm finishing the last batch?"  
  
Yugi's smile widened and he looked up at Yami eagerly, his eyes begging him. Yami would've laughed at the cute look he made had Rebecca not been around and nodded, releasing Yugi once more.  
  
The younger grabbed his hand and pulled him into the kitchen after the blonde and sat beside him on one of the stools.  
  
Everything needed to decorate the cookies were set out for them already and they started working.  
  
After about half an hour Yami hears frustrated growls coming from his koi and looks beside him to see what's wrong. He thought Yugi looked adorable with the pout on his face and the mock glare he was giving the empty looking bottle of frosting.  
  
"What's wrong, Yugi? All out?" Yami asked.  
  
Yugi looked at him, still pouting, and showed him the tube. "I can't get anymore out and it's the last of the red frosting we have until we can go to the store and pick up some more."  
  
Yami smiled and handed his hand out for the tube, which Yugi handed him with a big smile growing on his face. Yami carefully pushed his fingers up from the bottom to the top until he was sure there wasn't much more frosting that he could get out. He handed the bottle back to Yugi who smiled and thanked him before turning back to his barely frosted cookie once more.  
  
Yami continued as well until a few more minutes later when he heard an 'eep' come from Yugi. He looked over and nearly burst into laughter like Yugi had earlier when the flour had rained on him. Yugi had the last of the red frosting splattered over his face and tears were welding up in his eyes, ready to cry.  
  
"What happened now, Yugi?"  
  
"I only needed a little bit more so I was trying to do what you had done to get more frosting to come out but my fingers slipped and it went on my face instead." Yugi cried out.  
  
Yami reached for some paper towels across the countertop, careful not to get any of the frosting on his vest, and wiped Yugi's face clean. He pulled the paper towel away to see if he got it all and smirked wickedly when he saw a little bit more near Yugi's lips. He leaned forward after placing the towel on the counter and kissed it away. He heard Yugi's gaps before the younger tilted his head towards his lips, asking Yami to kiss him there too. Yami smiled and complied happily. Their lips met and they shared the kiss happily before Yami pulled away a few minutes later.  
  
"Mmm, delicious. It's all gone now."  
  
Yugi blushed lightly and giggled. "I like that way better than that paper towel. It was too rough on my face."  
  
"I'll have to keep that in mind then, won't I?" Yami licked his lips jokingly.  
  
The small blush on Yugi's cheeks grew and he quickly turned back to his cookies with embarrassment. It wasn't until a second later though that he realized that only half of his cookie had red frosting on it and he couldn't use that half without ruining the cookie by thinning it out too much.  
  
Yami smirked and pushed the green frosting tube over to Yugi. "You could make a yin-yang cookie with the red and green." He offered.  
  
Yugi smiled. "Thank, Yami. That's a great idea." He took the tube and proceeded to make the offered design.  
  
~~  
  
"YAMI!!" Yugi jumped on top of Yami's still sleeping form and jumped up and down excitedly on top of him. "Get up, Yami! It's Christmas!"  
  
Yami cracked open a crimson eye and sent a playful glare his way before closing it again.  
  
"Please Yami!" Yugi begged, sending the puppy dog eyes out to work, hoping that Yami would open his eyes again to see it.  
  
"Fine." Yami replied and lifted his hips up, which made Yugi fall backwards onto the bed.  
  
In truth, the only reason Yami had agreed to get up was because he didn't have the heart to say no to him.  
  
He stood up from the bed and got dressed with Yugi hurrying him along eagerly.  
  
"Are you done yet?" Yugi asked impatiently after a few minutes.  
  
Yami smiled at him and nodded.  
  
Yugi bounced off the bed and grabbed his hand, dragging him down the stairs to the living room.  
  
Yami sat on the couch and apologized for keeping them waiting.  
  
"We weren't waiting that long." Arthur replied; everybody nodding in agreement.  
  
Yugi's looking around for an open seat but decides on the floor when he finds there isn't any more room on the couch or chair. He's stopped though when he feels a small pressure pulling him towards the couch on his waist. He looks down and sees Yami's hand wrapped around his waist, pulling him towards him. Yugi gets the hint easily and cuddled himself into Yami's lap happily. Yami wraps his arms around Yugi once the younger was comfortable and waist as Rebecca started to hand out presents.  
  
Yami's whole attention is on Yugi as he watches his smaller koibito open his presents as they were handed to him, not expecting to get anything, which didn't really bother him as long as the tenshi in his lap stayed where he was.  
  
At the end everybody stood and made their way into the kitchen for some cookies except for Yugi and Yami.  
  
Yugi smiles somewhat shyly at his koi before sliding off his lap and onto the now free couch. Yami watches him curiously as the younger reached into his pajama pants' pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box with a silver ribbon wrapped around it in a tiny bow.  
  
The younger of the two pushed the box into the older's hand and whispered out and embarrassed and shy "Merry Christmas, Yami" and waist for his koi to open the small box.  
  
After getting over the initial shock that Yugi had gone through the trouble of getting him something, Yami looked a the box for a second before taking the ribbon off and opening it. He gasped as the beautiful silver charm inside glinted at him with morning sun shining on it.  
  
He picked it up carefully, as if it was made of glass and could break if not handled with care, and set the box aside.  
  
The charm was in the shape of an upright rectangle with two hearts intertwined on the center, one black and one white. He opened the locket and red the inscription branded into it:  
  
Together Forever  
I give you my heart  
  
On the other side he saw the same picture as on the front except slightly bigger and underneath it said:  
  
I love you, Yami  
Yugi  
  
Tears were brought to Yami's eyes and he didn't care if Yugi saw them this time. He looked back over to Yugi and his eyes widened as he saw the silver chain the younger held out for him in his hands. He took the chain and beaded it through the hold on the top of the charm and turned back to Yugi.  
  
"Could you help me put it on?"  
  
At Yugi's shy nod he handed the silver charmed-necklace to Yugi and then turned his back to him. He sucked in a small breath as the cool material of the chain touched his bare skin on his neck.  
  
He turned back to Yugi and gathered him in his arms. "Thank you, Yugi." He breathed into the smaller's ear. "It's the best gift I could ever hope for. I love it."  
  
Yugi snuggled into his arms lovingly. "I meant every word." He then added after a second in slight humiliation, "I was going to get you the one shaped like a heart, but I wasn't sure if you would like that or not."  
  
Yami chuckled lightly and pulled back, looking sadly at Yugi. "I'm sorry I don't have anything to give you though that's this special, Yugi."  
  
"Don't worry Yami. You gave me the best gift anybody could have ever hoped for when you asked me to be your friend, first and best, and even more so when you asked if I would go out with you.  
  
Yami's heart pounded in his ears and he felt even more guilt than he had been the whole time about the bet. Yugi truly loved him for him and didn't care about his problem; he honestly cared about him.  
  
'Then was Keith wrong? Could somebody really know what had happened and still actually want to have me because of who I am?' Yami wondered in confusion.  
  
"I love you, Yami." Yugi whispered as he wrapped his arms around the taller and snuggled into his chest further.  
  
Yami held him closer and rocked them back and forth slowly, pondering over what Keith had told him only two summer's ago. Finally he gathered his courage and whispered back, "I love you too, Yugi. I love you too."  
  
He felt the smaller teen tense up and pulled back to look at Yami in disbelief, his eyes asking if he really did.  
  
Yami nodded with a small smile on his face and watched as tears glittered in Yugi's eyes and fell down his pale cheeks before he hid his face back into Yami's chest and cried happily into the leather.  
  
They stayed like that the whole day before Yami carefully stood with Yugi in his arms and carried him to their room. He worried for his love as he tested his weight once more.  
  
'He's lighter than the last time I checked a few days ago.'  
  
~~  
  
In the morning Yami's suspicions and fears were confirmed. Rebecca was shaking him awake and sirens blared in the background.  
  
"Yami, wake up! Something's wrong with Yugi!" The blonde genius gasped out.  
  
Yami's crimson eyes shot open and immediately looked beside him to where Yugi was having problems breathing and was shivering slightly even under all the covers of the bed.  
  
He jumped out of the bed and went to Yugi's side, kneeling beside it. "Yugi, please wake up." Yami pleaded in what he knew sounded like a worried voice. He didn't know how long he would last if Yugi didn't open his eyes and tell him he was okay or maybe be shaken awake by Yugi and tell him he was having a nightmare. but nothing like that happened. Instead, paramedics burst into the room and strapped Yugi onto the stretcher. For the first time in his life Yami cried in front of people he didn't he know.  
  
Rebecca was at a loss for what to do and gasped when Yami suddenly shot up from his spot on the floor and ran downstairs.  
  
She looked outside and saw Yami run out onto the street, staring after the ambulance before falling to his knees in complete defeat.  
  
(I was going to leave it there, but then thought that wouldn't be a very good idea. So you readers get to have even more to read. Hope you're enjoying it so far and hope you like the rest as well.)  
  
~~  
  
A couple hours later everybody was piled into the car and was driving down to the hospital to visit Yugi.  
  
Yami stared out of the window, wallowing in self-depression and cursing himself for not asking Yugi about it sooner. He blamed himself for the whole mess and Yugi could die because he was too careless.  
  
~~  
  
As they were sitting in the waiting room Rebecca sat beside Yami after watching the teen huddled by himself in the corner, silent tears trekking paths down his face.  
  
Yami looked up at he and in a scratched up and nearly forced voice asked her, "How could this have happened? It's all my fault."  
  
"No, Yami. Don't say that. It's nobody's fault; it just. happened." She tried to explain. "I walked by your guys' room when I heard it though. I opened the door to see what it was and found out that it was Yugi. It was because he couldn't breath right. I tried to wake him up but he wouldn't so I called my grandpa up. He told me to call the ambulance because Yugi needed help. After I called them I woke you up to see if you knew anything but obviously by your reaction you didn't."  
  
Yami glared at the floor. "I knew."  
  
Rebecca looked up surprise. "You did?"  
  
Yami nodded in self-hatred. "He didn't eat very much. I knew he was underweight so I tried to help him. I even saw his ribs and everything twice at school. He told me why but he didn't tell me anything more than that. I tried to get him to eat more but every time he tried he'd end up feeling sick and go to the bathroom."  
  
Rebecca was about to gather him in a comforting hug but stopped when she heard Yugi's name called out by one of the nurses.  
  
Everybody walked over to the lady to see what she would say about Yugi.  
  
"Is this everyone?" Solomon nodded at her. "Well we discovered that Yugi is malnutrition as well as anorexic and bulimic, but he's more anorexic than the other; only partially bulimic."  
  
Rebecca gasped and held onto her grandfather. Solomon stared at the lady in shock and disbelief. Yami's hand instantly came up and grasped his locket Yugi had only given him the day before.  
  
"Can we see him?" He asked in a raspy and choked voice.  
  
"Yes, but one at a time."  
  
Yami expected Solomon to want to go first, but the old man nodded at him to go ahead. "I want to calm down before I see him first. You go ahead, Yami."  
  
Yami nodded his thanks to the old man and followed the nurse through the double doors. He was led down a few halls up towards an elevator near the back.  
  
"Yugi's on the third floor. You go to the left once you reach there and go straight until you come to the room 203C. It'll be on your right."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
After the nurse left he stepped into the elevator and pressed the number 3 on the button pad. He walked down the hall to the left once the ding sounded and the door opened and all too soon he found himself standing in front of his designated room.  
  
He took a deep breath before he turned the knob on the door and walked in. He nearly choked at what he saw.  
  
Yugi was hooked up to many different machines and tubes with few needles poked into his arms to give him nutrition and an assortment of medications.  
  
He walked over to Yugi's unconscious form and took one of the small and pale hands into his own, caressing it lightly.  
  
"Why, Yugi? Why?" He asked over and over again before he eventually broke down into more tears as he hid his face into the sheets of the bed.  
  
Yami didn't even notice somebody else had entered the room until he felt a comforting hand on his back. He looked up in confusion into the smiling face of another nurse.  
  
"Yugi'll be okay, sweetie. He just has to be careful from now on." Yami nodded and she rubbed his shoulder in reassurance before going to the end of the bed and wrote something on the chart before turning and heading to the door, sending him one last smile before she closed the door.  
  
Yami felt a little better now, but not by much. He stayed there staring at Yugi's unmoving form sadly with an occasional tear slipping from his garnet orbs for about forty-five minutes before he leaved over and kissed Yugi's cold lips and getting up to leave, not noticing the flutter in Yugi's eyes.  
  
Yami's hand was on the doorknob and was about to open it when he heard a strangled voice of somebody calling his name from behind him.  
  
The junior froze for a second before turning abruptly back around and saw Yugi's nearly dull violet eyes watching him; the usual cheeriness empty from them.  
  
"Are you leaving me?" Yugi choked out in a strangled voice with fear evident clearly in it.  
  
Yami walked back over to the bed, almost afraid that Yugi would disappear from him if he got too close. He sat back down in the chair and took Yugi's hand back into his own once more, caressing it with his thumb. "I'll never leave you, Yugi. Not until you say."  
  
Yugi tried to smile for him but found that he was too tired and settled for just looking into his other's red eyes, loving how the sparkled in the low lights in the room. He knew Yami and everybody else found out what he'd been doing to himself by now and thought it was better than them finding out some other way.  
  
"I'm sorry Yami." He rasped out. "For doing what I did."  
  
Yami squeezed his hand reassuringly, all the while thinking over everything that had happened the past couple of weeks.  
  
He found he didn't care about the bet anymore and he only wished and hoped with all his being that Yugi lived and would be wit him.  
  
His other hand unconsciously came up and held onto his locket like it was a lifeline for him; and in some way he really believed it was.  
  
Yami then leaned down and whispered into Yugi's ear. "We'll always be together, forever, Yugi. Can I keep you? (1)"  
  
Yugi smiled weakly at him he best he could and nodded. "Always." He whispered back.  
  
The junior leaned over and wrapped his arms around Yugi in a small hug. Neither boy heard the door click closed again.  
  
The three smiled lightly at each other. They didn't have to say anything to know each of them were glad Yugi was going to be safe and he had someone to help him through it now.  
  
They decided to go wait in the waiting room for Yami to come back down.  
  
Inside the room, Yami let his tears fall from his eyes. He made his decision.  
  
'This bet is off. I'll tell Joey when we get back to school and I'll make sure Yugi never finds out about it so we can be together. I need him. I do anything to keep it like this.'  
  
His heart swelled and for once it wasn't for how guilty he was feeling over the baka bet but it was for how much he truly love Yugi.  
  
'My savior; my angel; my Yugi.'  
  
** (1) From the movie Casper. I thought that line sounded kawaii and I had to borrow it.  
  
I also wanted to say thanks for all the reviews and to make things a little bit easier so you know when to look for this fic, I'm going to be trying to update every Monday. But I'm only going to try, so there's no promises. 


	10. Back at School

Ok for the last couple of chapters I've been writing Author instead of Arthur for Rebecca's grandpa. Sorry about that; big baka and I've had a lot on my mind. And I changed it. Thanx KaTyA for pointing it out to me. The mistake shouldn't happen again...at least I hope it shouldn't since I'm not planning on putting him in anymore chapters. You'll find out in a later chapter why I put him in there.  
  
And also I had somebody ask me what a sophomore was. A sophomore is another name for saying your in the second year of high school, or 10th grade. Hope that helped.  
  
To answer your question Dendie(), yes, I do accept suggestions for future chappies. Just review or email me and tell what you'd like to suggest. ~~  
  
Yugi was released from the hospital a few days later with instructions to rest and have somebody with him to make sure he eats at all times.  
  
During the care ride back to the game shop Yugi mostly slept against Yami, who was holding him closely and rubbing circles in the younger's back to comfort him as he dreamed on.  
  
Yami eyes the small paper bag at his feet and grimaced as he remembered what the doctor had told him and the others before they left the hospital.  
  
Flashback  
  
"Solomon Mouto?" The doctor asked as he took Yugi's grandfather's hand.  
  
"Yes, that's right. How's Yugi?" The old man replied.  
  
The doctor released Solomon's hand and turned to a clipboard, looking over it for a few minutes before looking back up at the group.  
  
"We almost lost him, I'm afraid. He would've died had he not been brought in when he was. Although he's free to leave he's still in critical condition and at high risk of..." the doctor hesitated before sighing. "He's still at very high risk of us losing him."  
  
Solomon gasped and Rebecca hid her face in Author's shirt so nobody would see her tears. Yugi was like a brother to her now and one of her best friends. If she lost him now she wouldn't know what she would do.  
  
Yami looked down at the floor as his hand came up and unconsciously grasped his locket dangling around his neck. He was on the verge of tears but he was trying his best to stay as strong as he could at the moment. 'It's not fair. Am I not supposed to be happy? I finally found love, and from somebody who loves me for me and I... I love them back.'  
  
The doctor gave the group a sympathetic look. He hated this part of his job the most: telling families things like their loved ones are at high risk of losing their lives, especially if it's already happened.  
  
"However, there is always a chance at recovery even if it may seem small considering his condition at the moment. As long as eats properly that is and keeps the nutrients in his body." He turned and picked up the paper bag sitting behind him on the counter and handed it to Solomon. "Yugi has been keeping his act up for some time it seems and that means he's in tune with what he does and he made it so regular for himself that he will still try to do it even without realizing it. Also, if Yugi tells you that he's starting to feel sick after eating then you shouldn't try to push him, but also don't leave him alone. Most likely he will try to heal himself the only way he'll know how, but it would be better if somebody just lied down with him until his stomach settled; however long that will be. Inside that bag is a syringe with medicine for Yugi. It's to be injected into one of his arms into a vein if he still isn't eating. Especially if he's trying to relieve himself after eating or if he isn't gaining any weight and even more so when he's losing it."  
  
End of Flashback  
  
Yami shook himself from his memories and turned his head to look at Yugi. He smiled sadly and leaned down to kiss his koi's forehead.  
  
Yugi groaned and moved further into Yami's arms, smiling as he inhaled Yami's scent.  
  
Yami looked sadly back out the window as he thought about what had happened after they left the hospital.  
  
Flashback  
  
Yami was carrying Yugi in his arms through the doors of the hospital. Yugi had fallen asleep in a chair while the doctor was explaining how to give Yugi his medicine.  
  
Once outside the building Solomon turned to Yami, giving him a hard look. Yami gulped at the glare that was given to him before he asked Solomon if there was anything wrong.  
  
"You have to swear to me, Yami, that when you and Yugi go back to school on Sunday you will look after him. Give him is medication when needed and not to let him get hurt."  
  
Yami shivered at the thought of handling the syringe. He hated needles and always had and he had no doubts that Yugi wouldn't like the idea very much when he found out about it after his first dose of it. Gathering his wit he looked determinedly at Solomon and nodded. "I promise, Solomon, nothing will happen to Yugi. I'll look after him and take care of the best I can."  
  
End of Flashback  
  
Yugi still hadn't woken up by the time they arrived back at the game shop. Arthur came around to his door and picked Yugi up out of Yami's arms, causing the young teen to squirm uncomfortably in his arms and groaning out Yami's name, reaching his arms out for some kind of contact with his love.  
  
Yami quickly stepped out of the car and took Yugi back into his arms, who immediately calmed down again and snuggled into his warmth, and wincing at how light Yugi truly had become, and carried his smaller lover to his room. He placed Yugi in his bed and covered him in the blankets before lying beside him and holding him close.  
  
'I'm going to have to make a few changes when we get back to the school. First, I'm going to talk to Joey about this stupid bet. Then I'll need to move some of Yugi's things into my room so I can watch him better. Also I'll have to talk to the headmaster about Yugi's state so he can talk to the teachers about it so they won't push him too hard in his work.' He hugged Yugi closer. 'I wish I could change my schedule so it would match his but that's impossible since we're in different years.' Thinking it over he got a great idea. 'Maybe I'll be able to switch my schedule around so I can be closer to Yugi's in case he needs me.'  
  
Yami was torn from his thoughts when the bed shifted and he heard a soft moan from his koibito before tired violet eyes opened and sparkled at him lovingly.  
  
The junior smiled back at him and brushed his blonde bangs away from his face. "Are you hungry, my little one?" He asked softly.  
  
Yugi hesitated in answering Yami. 'Yami'll be worried about me if I don't eat though and I don't want him to get concerned.' He nodded lightly. "Maybe just a little bit." He answered aloud.  
  
Yami nodded and got up from the bed. "Stay there and rest, Yugi. I'll be back up in a little bit." Yugi nodded and closed his eyes.  
  
When Yami came back up a few minutes later carrying a tray with a small sandwich and a bowl of soup, he wasn't sure what Yugi would be able to hand yet so he decided on both, the bed way empty.  
  
He turned his head to the bathroom door when he heard the flush and stared at Yugi with a frightened expression when he came out.  
  
Yugi noticed it and shook his head. "Don't worry, Yami. I just needed to go to the bathroom. I promise I didn't do anything else than that."  
  
Yami visibly relaxed and let out a breath he was holding before motioning with his head for Yugi to get back into bed. He sat the tray down on the bed.  
  
The sophomore sat in his lover's lap as Yami fed him. He managed to eat most of the sandwich and a few spoonfuls of the soup before shoving the rest away. "Yami, I feel like I'm going to be sick."  
  
Yami's crimson eyes widened as Yugi started to stand and unconsciously started walking for the bathroom. Yami pushed the tray back onto the table and rushed over to Yugi's form, whose hand was just reaching for the doorknob on the bathroom door.  
  
"No Yugi, you can't. You'll make yourself even more sick." 'And I don't want you to get that medicine the doctor gave you.' Yami finished the rest in his thoughts and shivered at the thought of the needle and syringe just downstairs.  
  
"But Yami, I..."  
  
"No, Yugi. Come lay down with me instead, please." Yami decided on trying to distract Yugi to get him to come away from the door.  
  
"Yami I have to go though. I'm going to be sick." Yugi grimaced as his stomach felt like it was churning when it was really just trying to accommodate his food intake since it was so small now.  
  
"Yugi please, come lay down with me. I'll make you feel better. Like I did on the train ride here, you remember? I took care of you when you felt sick."  
  
Yugi hesitated and slowly lowered his hand and nodded his head, his hand coming up to hold his stomach. "Okay Yami."  
  
"I'll take care of you, Yugi. You don't have to worry about anything anymore. Just let me help you."  
  
"I will, Yami." Yugi leaned in his arms as he held his stomach tighter as his stomach felt like it jumped once more.  
  
Yami picked him up carefully and walked over to the bed, laying him down. He then went around the bed to his side and lay down as well, pulling Yugi closer. Yugi rested his head on Yami's chest, listening to his heartbeat and letting it calm him as it echoed through his mind.  
  
"That's it, my little one. Just relax and let me help you."  
  
The junior rubbed circles with one hand while the other rested on Yugi's stomach, hoping the gesture would further ease his little love.  
  
A few minutes later Yami heard a quiet "Thank you." From Yugi before the younger relaxed even further into his arms and fell asleep.  
  
Yami placed a quick kiss on Yugi's forehead. "Anything for you, my love." He then followed his little one in slumber.  
  
The door creaked closed and the old man smiled. 'I think Yami will make very good of his promise on watching my grandson.' He thought before walking down the stairs.  
  
"Ah Solomon, how's Yugi feeling now?" Arthur asked as he came out of the guestroom after putting Rebecca to bed.  
  
"I think he's going to be just fine. He's sleeping right now. He'll need his sleep for the trip tomorrow.  
  
"Do you think it's wise to send him to school so soon?"  
  
Thinking back to what he just witnessed and watched since Yugi had first stated he felt sick. He was very proud of Yami. 'He kept his cool very nicely around when he started walking towards the bathroom. I don't have anything to worry about if he's making good of his promise even now.' "I don't think we have anything to worry about, Author. Yami will take very good care of him, I assure you."  
  
Arthur nodded, but frowned when his long-time friend started going into a coughing fit. "Are you okay, Solomon? You sound terrible. Maybe the doctor should've taken a look at you as well. You did start coughing terribly at the hospital while we were waiting for Yami the other day too."  
  
"No, no. That's not necessary, Author. I'll be fine, don't worry about me." He told his friend after catching his breath from his coughing fit.  
  
"If you're sure..."  
  
"I'm sure, don't worry. I'm going to go to bed so I can see Yugi and Yami off at the train tomorrow."  
  
"Very well. Good night, Solomon." Arthur nodded before turning back to the guest room.  
  
"Night, Author."  
  
~~  
  
Yami awoke early the next morning and packed up his and Yugi's things and then packed them into the trunk of the car.  
  
"I promise I'll watch over Yugi for you, Solomon." Yami reassured the old man before he retreated back up the room to gather Yugi, carrying him downstairs since he was still sleeping and into the car along with everyone else.  
  
~~  
  
Once at the station Arthur helped store Yami and Yugi's bags in their chosen compartment before waving goodbye to Yami and, even though he couldn't see it, Yugi.  
  
Solomon hid a few coughs in his coat sleeve before walking over to his sleeping grandson in his boyfriend's arms and kissed him lightly on the forehead so he wouldn't disturb him.  
  
Yami nodded a goodbye before turning back to the train and walking into the compartment, laying Yugi on the couch-like seat. He sat himself down on the floor and took Yugi's hand in his own, caressing the back of it with his thumb.  
  
A few minutes into the ride Yami fell asleep to the gently motions of the train moving and the light breaths from Yugi stroking the back of his neck.  
  
~~  
  
"Yami?" A soft voice whispered as it shook his arm lightly. "Yami, you need to wake up. We're at the school."  
  
Yami cracked his eyes opened and the first he noticed was he was leaning against the bench he'd been sitting against from the start of the ride, holding Yugi's hand, and said Yugi wasn't on the bench but in his lap with his head resting on Yami's chest and his nimble fingers were clenched into the soft material of his shirt as he continued sleeping peacefully.  
  
He looked up into soft brown eyes and immediately recognized them as Ryou's and, looking beyond Ryou, was his boyfriend and Yami's best friend, Bakura.  
  
Ryou smiled at Yami when the junior focused back on him. "I'm sorry about waking you but we're back at the school. Bakura and I walked by as we were about to get off the train but then I saw you two in here sleeping when I glanced in."  
  
"Oh, no, that's okay Ryou. Thank you for waking me." Yami whispered so he wouldn't disturb his sleeping koi.  
  
He tried to stand with Yugi in his arms, but found he couldn't unless he disturbed Yugi only... a lot.  
  
Bakura wordlessly knelt beside him and picked up the sleeping teen in his arms carefully. Ryou helped to uncurl Yugi's fingers from his shirt.  
  
Yugi mumbled and reached out his hand for Yami and, realizing that his warmth was gone, made a few displeased sounds at being moved.  
  
Yami quickly stood and took Yugi back into his arms. Yugi settled back down instantly and cuddled into Yami further and held onto him tightly, sighing happily as he continued to sleep on.  
  
"Thank you Bakura, Ryou, for your help. I'd hate to have to wake him."  
  
"Why's he so tired?" Ryou asked.  
  
"We... uh... ano, we ran into some problems over the week. He's going to be like this for a while longer I'm afraid." Yami then looked to the bags and sighed. 'I'll have to come back after I get Yugi to bed. But what if he wakes up while I'm not there."  
  
Again, Bakura wordlessly picked up Yami's bag and Ryou followed, picking up Yugi's smaller bag.  
  
"Thank you. I'd hate to have to leave Yugi alone by making more trips to the train to get the bags."  
  
"What happened?" Bakura questioned as he took Ryou's hand and walked out of the train.  
  
"I'll tell you guys later. I don't want to wake him. He needs his rest."  
  
The two white-haired lovers nodded and they continued on in silence.  
  
It wasn't long before Yami noticed Ryou was walking a little funny and guessed what he and Bakura must've done either on the train or just last night.  
  
Yami scooted towards Bakura and smirked. "How was it?" He whispered so Ryou wouldn't be embarrassed at being found out.  
  
Bakura looked at him, looking a little pale. "You know?"  
  
Yami nodded at Ryou and Bakura looked up and sighed. "I guess I was a little hard with him last night. I was hoping nobody would notice the limp; it was his first after all, but he wanted it really bad."  
  
Yami looked down at Yugi sadly.  
  
"You've fallen for him haven't you? For real, not for the bet?"  
  
The junior looked startled up at Bakura before blushing; he nodded. "Screw this damned bet. I'm breaking it off with Joey the minute I see him. Yugi doesn't deserve this."  
  
"Is it just because of Yugi or do you want to take him now before you go back into your old ways?"  
  
"No. I'm going to change. I hated myself when I had sex with people every night. It tired me out and besides, my grades are finally getting picked up after I ruined it. I like how this is turning out. I could never leave Yugi now. I love what I have with him; it's what I've always wanted. What I thought I could never have is sleeping in my arms right now."  
  
"What you thought you could never have? What do you mean by that, Yami? Did you like Yugi before Joey put you and him together?" Bakura asked with confusion.  
  
"No, something much more than that. I'd rather not talk about it."  
  
Yami closed his eyes as memories flooded through his mind.  
  
//"Nobody will want you now. You're filled with my essence you whore, and that's all you'll ever be." Keith laughed. "You'll be mine for the rest of time. You'll crave the passion and the pain and keep coming back for more. You'll crave it even when you can't have it before you give it to other people to help relieve yourself."//  
  
Yami felt his stomach lurch as the words coursed through him. Keith was right. He did end up craving it. He craved it at school so he gave it to other students to relieve himself just like Keith had told him... and he even came back for more, just like Keith told him.  
  
Flashback  
  
Yami hesitantly walked to his mother and Keith's bedroom, the floor below his own room and few halls further. He swallowed hard as he raised his hand to knock on the door. He was clad in nothing more than a bathrobe since he had just gotten out of his shower, trying to drown his thoughts away so he wouldn't be doing was he was just about to do. Obviously, it didn't work.  
  
His mother was out shopping and wouldn't be back for several hours. One of the maids dusting around the library had told him where he could find his stepfather.  
  
Dropping all his pride he knocked on the door and awaited an answer.  
  
'Maybe he'll be asleep and I won't have to go through with this. Maybe he'll be packing up and decided to leave my mother. Maybe...' Yami thought hopefully after a few seconds of silence.  
  
"Come in." A voice called from beyond the door.  
  
'Kuso!'  
  
Yami opened the door with shaking hands, using all his strength to keep himself standing in anticipation.  
  
"Ah, Yami. I was just thinking about visiting you. What's wrong? You look deathly pale." Keith told him in fake concern.  
  
"I-I-I was just...ano...I was coming to..." Yami stuttered. Now that he got here he wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't just about to go 'Hey, Keith, buddy. You were right that I was going to come back for more now that I'm addicted to it. Could you please have sex with me now?' Yeah he was sure that would make out just fine.  
  
Keith smirked. "I think I know just what I can do for you, Yami." Keith walked passed Yami and closed the door, locking it afterwards so nobody would disturb them. And if anybody asked what they were doing it would have just been a private conversation between men.  
  
Keith stood in front of Yami and moved his fingers over the knot around his waist, making quickly of untying it and pushing the single piece of clothing away, leaving Yami completely bare.  
  
'What am I doing? How could I reduce myself to this? How could Keith have known I'd be addicted to it when he raped me? Is it because of what he said about nobody wanting me? No, that's impossible...but nobody will if they find out.' Yami thought painfully as he was led to the bed.  
  
Keith shed his clothes, keeping his hungry eyes on Yami's body the most he could. He then climbed onto the bed and on top of Yami.  
  
That's when Yami senses clicked together and he realized what he was doing just as Keith was positioning himself.  
  
'What the hell do I think I'm doing? I'm submitting myself to this trash! What the hell possessed me to do this?' "Wait, I've changed my mind." Yami tried to push away from Keith as he started pressing into his now unwilling body.  
  
"Your too late now, Yami. You're mine, just like I told you the first time." Keith laughed at his expense.  
  
"Wait!" Yami started to panic as he continued to try to push away from the blonde adult above him. "I don't want this! Stop! Keith I said WAIT!!" Yami screamed at the top of his lungs as Keith slammed himself into his body once more.  
  
"Ah, Yami. You seem to have gotten so much tighter since the last summer. Feels so good."  
  
Tears slipped from Yami's closed crimson eyes which now showed how broken he felt at being used...and even more broken and torn at the thought that he had first walked into it willingly. 'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? Why can't I get raped once and leave it at that? Instead I actually came back to him and here I am being used once more.'  
  
Keith continued to slam into Yami's abused body, using the blood now oozing from Yami's torn entrance as lubricant to get in further with each thrust.  
  
End of Flashback  
  
"Yami?"  
  
"Yami, what's wrong?"  
  
"Yami!"  
  
Yami jumped suddenly as the loud voice rang through his ears. His first instinct was to curse whoever yelled in his now ringing ear to the next century but stopped himself and quickly looked down to Yugi, who thankfully was still sleeping peacefully in is arms with a small smile on his face; his fingers curled into Yami's shirt to hold him close. Yami smiled before looking up at two worried faces.  
  
"What did you do that for?"  
  
"You were completely space out, Yami. You just stopped walking and had this dazed expression on your face and your eyes were clouded over and everything. You had us worried." Ryou explained quietly.  
  
"We tried to be quiet and called your name for like five minute before I figured whispering and talking quietly wasn't going to bring you back."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just thinking about...Yugi, that's all." Yami lied. He didn't want anyone to find out about his past.  
  
"Fine. Come on. You've already been given about twenty weird looks from people who've walked by."  
  
Yami nodded and they continued walking up to his room.  
  
~~  
  
Once Yugi was settled in Yami's bed comfortably and covered with the blankets, Yami held his hand to keep him from acting like he did when Bakura and Arthur had both taken him from his arms while sleeping.  
  
Bakura put Yami's bag by the closet and Ryou did the same. They both waved goodbye and goodnight before closing the door behind them. Bakura also made him promise that Yami would tell them and the others what was up with Yugi. Just before the door closed Yami saw Bakura wrap his arm around Ryou after noticing his little koi shifting from side to side in discomfort. Yami smirked and made a mental note to be gentle with Yugi the first time he took him so he wouldn't be acting like Ryou.  
  
The junior then glanced at the clock on his desk and smirked. He had just enough time to catch the headmaster before light's out.  
  
Yami shed his jacket and pushed it gently into Yugi's arms. Yugi breathed in the scent of the jacket and slowly released Yami's hand to cuddle the jacket with both hands.  
  
'That ought to satisfy him for the time being.' He leaned down and kissed Yami on the cheek. 'I'll be back, my love. Just keep resting and I'll be back as fast as I can.'  
  
He turned and left for the principal's office.  
  
~~  
  
Yami knocked on the door and went in when the rough 'come in' was heard from the headmaster.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Hitokage. Can I help you with something?" The principal smiled and gestured to a seat.  
  
"Yes, I was hoping so, Headmaster Kochiki." Yami nodded and closed the door behind him and sat in the chair he was offered.  
  
"And what would that be?"  
  
"Well, sir, something happened to Yugi Mouto, my boyfriend, during winter break while I was visiting his grandfather with him."  
  
"Ah yes, Mr. Mouto. I've heard much about your sudden relationship with him. What brought about the change, if you don't mind my asking?"  
  
"Isn't that a bit off topic, sir?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yes of course. Please, forgive me. Continue...something happened?"  
  
Yami nodded. "That's right, sir. You see Yugi's been sick for a while without anybody noticing. He was sent to the hospital a couple days ago because he was having troubles breathing. Afterwards, the doctor told us that he was both anorexic and bulimic; mostly anorexic rather than bulimic, that was only when he ate that he would result to that when he felt sick." Yami paused to take a breath to keep from crying at how he almost lost Yugi.  
  
"Take your time, Mr. Hitokage. I can see it's a sensitive subject."  
  
Yami nodded and closed his eyes to concentrate. He opened them again when he was under control. "I'm sorry, sir. See, we almost lost him and I wouldn't know what I would do if that happened."  
  
"I understand. What can I do for you to help?"  
  
"Well, I promised Yugi's grandfather that I would look out for him. The doctor told us that Yugi had been doing it to himself for so long that he was on schedule for it you could say. He would try doing it without realizing it. Anyways, I was wondering if Yugi could move into my room so I could look after him? The doctor gave us something for Yugi to take if he continued to lose weight or if he tried to release himself after eating or if he wasn't eating at all."  
  
The headmaster nodded.  
  
"And Yugi's going to be weak for a few days longer until he can get his strength back. I was just wondering if you could explain to his teachers if he falls asleep in class. And also, if I could switch my schedule around so it my classes would be closer to the ones he's in. Just in case he would need me for anything."  
  
"I understand, Yami. I think that would be best since Mr. Mouto doesn't seem to have many friends and keeps to himself a lot, I've noticed."  
  
Yami nodded. "That's true, sir. He doesn't wish to be a burden to anybody with his problems. He's been opening up to me though and he knows he can trust me and I won't hurt him. He's also beginning to trust some of my other friends he talks to a few times when they're around us: Joey Wheeler, Seto Kaiba, Ryou Bakura, Bakura Yubiwa, Malik Ishtar, and Marik Kichigai."  
  
"Yes, I saw you introduce him to them at the dance. They seemed to get along. Very well, Mr. Hitokage, I'll allow Yugi to stay in your room and if he wishes remain there for the remainder of the year. And also, I will talk to your counselor first thing in the morning. You should have your new schedule arrive to you at breakfast at the soonest."  
  
Yami smiled. "Thank you, sir. This means a lot to me."  
  
"No problem. I'll also talk to Mr. Mouto's teachers after I've finished with your counselor to explain Yugi's condition."  
  
"Thank you, sir. I'd appreciate it if the students don't find out though. Yugi's sensitive about the subject and doesn't want many people to know about it."  
  
"Don't worry. I'll make sure to tell the teachers for you as well. They'll also be informed to retrieve you if anything happens to him."  
  
Yami bowed in thanks to the headmaster and headed out the door.  
  
~~  
  
Yami opened the door to his room and looked up. Yugi was sitting up in the bed rocking back and forth to himself, holding the jacket Yami left with him tightly.  
  
"Yugi?" Yami spoke quietly so he wouldn't startle his koi.  
  
Yugi lifted his head from its resting place on his knees, tears shining in his eyes. "Yami?" He whispered.  
  
Yami nodded.  
  
Yugi jumped off the bed and stumbled into Yami's arms, collapsing into tears. "I thought you left me, Yami. I thought that you weren't going to come back." The sophomore cried into his shirt.  
  
"Yugi I would never do that to you." Yami knelt down and held Yugi to him tightly. "I swear I would never leave like that. I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Yami."  
  
Yami rubbed circles into Yugi's back and waited for the younger to calm down.  
  
"Thank you, Yami. Nobody else would ever stay with me."  
  
Yami didn't believe that for a second but nodded anyway to keep Yugi settled down. "Are you hungry, my little one?"  
  
Yugi shook his head.  
  
"Yugi." Yami warned.  
  
Yugi shook his head faster.  
  
"You haven't eaten a thing all day. Please, at least let me get some ice cream for you?"  
  
Yugi shook his head still faster and squeezed Yami tighter.  
  
"Very well, but you're eating tomorrow or I'm giving you your medication. Do you understand?"  
  
Yugi stopped shaking his head and looked up at Yami curiously. "What medication? I didn't know I had any. How come I didn't get any last night?"  
  
"Because you ate last night, remember? It's only if you don't eat. And I don't want to give it to you. I hate it."  
  
Yugi was surprised at the shaky voice Yami used and decided it was best to drop it. He rested his head on Yami's chest and closed his eyes, shivering. He felt Yami's arms wrap around him and hold him tighter. 'If Yami's disturbed by it then I don't want to take it either.'  
  
Yami looked up from Yugi and eyed his bag where Bakura had set it down. He grimaced again as he remembered the contents in it, still placed in the paper bag. He refused to touch it unless the need came. 'Which I hope is never. Yugi, my love, I hope it never comes to that.' 


	11. Bad Day

Okay I decided that the week seems to go a lot slower when I'm waiting for Monday to come. So forget what I said about updating on Mondays, I'll update whenever I feel it's the right time. Besides, sad to say, but the fic is already almost over anyways.  
  
~~  
  
Yami woke up early the next morning and got dressed before Yugi woke up. When he checked his mirror to make sure he looked alright he noticed Yugi was looking at him through tired eyes.  
  
"Yugi?" He turned around and gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, koi. Did I wake you?"  
  
"No." Yugi looked down at the covers of the bed and drew circles in the sheets. "You think less of me now. Don't you?"  
  
Yami's eyes widened in surprise and he walked over to the bed, sitting beside Yugi. He pulled the sophomore into his lap and rocked him back and forth, holding him tightly against him. "Of course I don't think less of you, Yugi. Why would you think something like that?"  
  
Yugi looked up at him with unshed tears sparkling in his eyes. "Because of what I did, Yami. How could you ever want to be with someone who does that sort of thing to themselves?"  
  
"Because I love you, Yugi. If I didn't I wouldn't have said it; I do love you, very much. I was worried about you and for the first time in a long time I felt scared because I thought I was going to lose you. Do you really want to know what I think of you, Yugi?"  
  
Yugi nodded. Yami picked him up and carried him to his desk, setting the teen in the chair gently. He pulled up a piece of paper and drew an oval in the center. In the center of the oval he drew a wavy line and then a circle on either side of the line. On one side of the line he colored it in with black except for the circle and then colored just the circle on the other side black.  
  
"Do you know what this is, Yugi?"  
  
The younger nodded. "It's a yin-yang...but what does it have to do with how you think of me?"  
  
"First off, what does the yin-yang represent?"  
  
"Light and darkness." He answered easily. "But I still don't understand."  
  
Yami placed his index finger on the dark half. "This is me, Yugi; the darkness. This is how I felt before I met you and how I still feel whenever I'm not around you. You make me feel like I'm alive Yugi because you," he moved his finger into the white space, "are the light; my light. You make everything bright in my life, Yugi, and I love you for it; I love who you are. Do you understand now?"  
  
Yugi concentrated for a minute before smiling up at Yami. "And you're my darkness, Yami. You make things more exciting for me because you make it mysterious and in the shadows until you're ready for it to come out into the light."  
  
Yami nodded and wrapped his arms around his love.  
  
"Yami?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Why didn't you ever tell me that you were a good artist?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Yugi pulled away and opened one of the drawers fully that was half open. He rummaged around in it for a minute before pulling out a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it and showed it to Yami. "I woke up yesterday before you came back from wherever you went and saw the drawer open. Since I helped my grandpa in the game shop so many times I'm used to keeping things organized so I went to close it, but it wouldn't. So I opened it to rearrange a few things a saw this."  
  
"I didn't think it was that good."  
  
"But it is, Yami. I think it's wonderful; one of the most beautiful paintings I've ever seen."  
  
"You really think it's that good?"  
  
Yugi nodded excitedly. "Can I put it up, Yami? Something like this deserves to be shown around."  
  
"I suppose you could."  
  
The words barely left his mouth before the little one was searching around his drawers and pulling out a thumbtack. He bounced over to the bed and tacked the painting high enough so they wouldn't ruin it while they were sleeping.  
  
"You shouldn't use so much energy, my hikari. Wouldn't want to fall asleep in your first class, would you?"  
  
"Hikari?" Yugi asked in confusion, ignoring the rest of the question.  
  
"Yes, hikari. It suits you very nicely because you're the beam of light in my shadows."  
  
Yugi smiled and hugged Yami tightly around the middle.  
  
"You should be getting dressed so we can get you something to eat."  
  
Yugi looked skeptical but went over to his bag that still had a clean change of clothes in it and got dressed. He didn't really want to eat but if it meant not getting whatever kind of medicine the doctor had for him, he would at least try.  
  
"Okay, Yami, I'm ready." He called after a few minutes.  
  
Yami held out his hand and they made their way down to the cafeteria together.  
  
On the way down to the cafeteria the couple was stopped by Yami's counselor.  
  
"Mr. Hitokage, just the junior I was looking for." She handed him a piece of paper. "Here's your new schedule that you asked Headmaster Kochiki to have changed. Your teachers already know of your change. Let me know if you need anything else."  
  
Yami nodded and took the paper. "Thank you, Miss Hika. I appreciate it."  
  
"It was my pleasure. Have a nice day." She then turned and walked back down the hall she came from.  
  
Yugi looked up at Yami curiously. "Why did you get a change in your schedule, Yami? Weren't Joey and the others in most of your classes? Are you in a fight with him?"  
  
"Yes, hikari," Yugi blushed at the nickname, "I just have something more important to look after rather than being in the same classes as our friends."  
  
"What do you have to look after?"  
  
"You'll find out if the need arises. Let's get to breakfast. I'd rather not give you your medication because it gives me the creeps just thinking about it."  
  
Yugi nodded, letting the subject drop, and they continued down to the cafeteria.  
  
They ate a small breakfast and luckily Yugi didn't start to get sick. They then made their way to their first class.  
  
The day seemed to go by pretty slow for everybody that day. They didn't have much homework, which they were very grateful for.  
  
~~  
  
Yugi stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. He convinced Yami that he would be fine going alone and he'd come back as soon as he was finished and dressed. On his way out of the bathroom Ryou stopped him.  
  
"Hey, Yugi. I've been looking for you."  
  
"You have?"  
  
"You need to get your hearing checked, Yugi. Ryou said he was looking for you." Bakura replied sarcastically, earning a playful punch on his shoulder from Ryou.  
  
"Yes, I wanted to give you something. I think you'll like it. Follow us."  
  
"But I promised Yami..."  
  
"Don't worry. We'll bring you back to Yami's room and explain why you took so long getting back so he won't get mad or anything. Coming?"  
  
"Yeah, okay then."  
  
Ryou and Bakura led Yugi down a few more halls until they reached the couple's room. They went in and Ryou told Yugi to sit on the bed while he got out what he wanted to give him.  
  
A few minutes later Ryou emerged from the closet. "Here it is. It wasn't easy and it made Bakura pretty upset because I paid more attention to it rather than him the past week." Ryou unfolded the object in his hand and Yugi gasped.  
  
"T-that's my blanket!"  
  
"That's right, Yugi. I fixed it up for you." Ryou smiled at the excited expression on Yugi's face.  
  
The sophomore jumped off the bed and hugged the blanket once it was handed to him tightly. "I thought it got thrown away."  
  
"It would've if the janitor found it. But after Yami and I left with you to the nurse's, Ryou picked it up and decided to fix it for you. It took his whole bloody Christmas vacation to do it too." Bakura grumbled out.  
  
Ryou rolled his eyes at Bakura. "You're just made because I didn't spend enough time with you." Bakura huffed; Ryou turned back to Yugi. "I'm afraid I wasn't able to get all the blood stains out of it, but they're faded out good enough that you can barely notice them unless you're actually looking for them."  
  
"Thank you, Ryou. This means so much to me. My mother made this blanket for me; it's my favorite. I was so upset when I had to use it to keep from making a trail behind me from my arm."  
  
"You're welcome, Yugi. I was happy to help you. It was the only thing I could think of since it would seem kind of silly having three people helping one person to the nurse's office."  
  
Yugi put the blanket down on the bed and hugged Ryou tightly. "Thank you, Ryou. It really does mean so much to me."  
  
"If we don't want Yami having a fit by the time we get back I suggest we start heading over right now." Bakura told the two.  
  
Ryou nodded and Yugi took his blanket before following the two out the door and down the halls once more.  
  
Yugi opened the door and immediately was wrapped into two warm arms.  
  
"I was starting to get worried. You're not one to take long showers after all. What took so long?" Yami whispered into his ear, causing Yugi to giggle.  
  
"That was our fault, Yami. We're sorry. We wanted to give Yugi his blanket back, I fixed it for him."  
  
Yami pulled away and looked at the blanket cuddled in Yugi's arms.  
  
"It's my favorite blanket, Yami. It was the one I used after Tea and her friends beat me up remember? It had blood stains all over it and Ryou cleaned it up for me so it looks all better now."  
  
Yami nodded. "Well, it's getting late and you're still recovering."  
  
"Recovering?" Bakura questioned.  
  
Yugi tensed and Yami growled lightly in his throat. "Never mind, Bakura. We'd rather not talk about it. Good night."  
  
Bakura was about to argue but Ryou knew better and faked a tired yawn. Bakura quickly turned his attention from Yami to Ryou in concern. "Are you tired, koi?"  
  
Ryou nodded. "It's been a long day. Let's go to bed, Bakura, please?"  
  
"Okay, koi. Let's go. Bye, Yugi, Yami." Bakura closed the door behind him.  
  
"Wow, Ryou's pretty good. He nearly had me fooled that he was that tired." Yugi smiled up at Yami.  
  
"Yes, he just knows how to handle Bakura before he gets into a fight. It's not a pretty sight when he does. Let's sleep, Yugi."  
  
"Okay."  
  
The two climbed into bed and fell asleep in each other's arms.  
  
~~  
  
Yami and Yugi were rudely awoken the next day when Joey came barging in, Seto not far behind trying to calm his boyfriend.  
  
"Get up, Yami! Headmaster Kochiki has been looking for you. He wants to see you before classes start. Hurry up! Yugi, he wants to see you too."  
  
"Joey, shut up." Yami snarled from under his pillow. Yugi just mumbled out little nothings and rolled over so his head was under the blankets but still up against Yami's warm chest.  
  
"Yami!"  
  
"Joey, let me handle this."  
  
"Why? I have to yell at him for skipping out on all his classes yesterday too!"  
  
Yami threw his pillow and Joey and glared at him. "I didn't skip any classes, Joey. I went to all of them."  
  
"Then why didn't I see you?"  
  
Yami sighed and readjusted himself so he was sitting up on his elbows.  
  
Realizing he wasn't going to get anymore sleep, Yugi peeked his head out from under the covers. Smiling at Seto and Joey tiredly he then slid up beside Yami and crawled under him so one of Yami's arms was like it was wrapped around him.  
  
"If you must know, blondie, I had a schedule change so I could look after Yugi. He...hadn't been feeling well last week and I promised his grandpa I would look after him until he was all better."  
  
Joey calmed down and looked at Yami in disbelief. "Are you serious?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I be? Now get out of here so Yugi and I can get dressed and go see the principal for Kami knows what reasons."  
  
After getting dressed Yugi and Yami made their way down to the headmaster's office and waited until they were called in.  
  
"Mr. Mouto, Mr. Hitokage, please take a seat."  
  
The two sat down and waited until Kochiki continued.  
  
"I have some bad news for you, Mr. Mouto, I'm afraid. I wanted Mr. Hitokage to be with you since I know you trust him."  
  
Yugi nodded his understanding and held out his hand for Yami, who took it in his own and caressed it with his thumb.  
  
"I don't know how to tell you this really. Mr. Mouto...Yugi..."  
  
Yugi and Yami both tensed. The faculty never used first names to the students unless it was something really bad.  
  
"Yugi, I'm afraid you're grandfather passed away last night."  
  
Yugi froze and Yami held his hand tighter.  
  
"We got the call from one of his friends who was staying with him, helping him around the store; Arthur was his name I believe."  
  
Yugi nodded mutely and Yami started to get worried about him.  
  
'Why couldn't he wait until after he ate something? Now he won't eat anything and I'll have to...No! I won't think that!' Yami thought fearfully.  
  
"I'm very sorry, Yugi. If there's anything I can do for I would like to help you. Do you need anything right now?"  
  
Yugi looked at Yami with a far away look in his eyes that sent shivers up Yami's spine. He then turned back to the headmaster and whispered, "The shop?"  
  
Confusion spread over Kochiki's expression and he turned to Yami to see if he knew anything about Yugi's small question.  
  
"He wants to know what'll happen to the shop, headmaster. Will somebody be able to look after it or will it close for good?"  
  
"Oh, Arthur said he would look after it as long as he could until he had to go back to his research. Afterwards, the shop will be closed until Yugi turns eighteen when he can decide either to keep it running or sell it somebody else."  
  
Yami nodded and turned back to Yugi. The sophomore looked pale and his eyes barely shown any signs of life.  
  
"I think I should take him back to our room."  
  
"Of course. I'll excuse you both from all your classes for the day."  
  
"Thank you, sir."  
  
Yami helped Yugi out of his chair but the teen barely made it a few feet before he fainted, Yami catching him before he hit his head.  
  
~~  
  
Yugi came around about lunchtime. Everybody was in his and Yami's room. When Yami noticed his koi awake he knelt beside the bed with a small smile.  
  
"Hey, Yugi. Everybody was worried about you when the heard what happened. How do you feel?"  
  
"Besides the fact that I feel completely empty now? I don't want anybody here, Yami. Make them go away." Yugi whispered in a croaky voice.  
  
"Me too?" Yami asked softly, not hurt if Yugi did want him gone too.  
  
Yugi shook his head. "I wouldn't last if you were gone too, Yami. Don't leave me alone? Please?"  
  
"Okay, Yugi. I'll be back in a minute." Yami had everybody leave before he returned back to Yugi. "They're all gone now, Yugi. Can I do anything else for you?"  
  
"I have a headache."  
  
Yami nodded and went to rummage around in his desk. He brought out a bottle of aspirin and then went into his closet. He came back out with a water bottle and handed both to Yugi.  
  
Yugi took them gratefully before laying his head back on the pillow. "Is it true, Yami? Please tell me it's not true." He cried.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Yugi. It is as much as I don't want to admit it."  
  
"Yami, can you hold me? I think I'm going to cry."  
  
"Of course Yugi. Cry all you need."  
  
Yami held Yugi closely as the young teen cried into his chest mercilessly. He didn't make any move to try to calm him down either, knowing that he would just end up holding it in longer than he really needed.  
  
"Everything will be okay, Yugi. You'll see." Yami told him once Yugi had finally stopped crying for the meantime.  
  
"What am I going to do now, Yami? I'll have to go to an orphanage now and leave everything I have here behind until I turn eighteen. What if I never see you or the others again?"  
  
"I won't let that happen, Yugi. I promise you I won't. I'll make sure we're together for as long as you want us to be. We'll see each other as much as you like and the others too."  
  
Yugi smiled at him sadly.  
  
"Why don't you try eating something Yugi? You didn't have breakfast and lunch is over now. I can go to the kitchens and bring you back something small if you want."  
  
Yugi shook his head, closing into his own world again.  
  
"Yugi, don't do this. You need to eat or you'll go to the hospital again. You don't want that do you?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Yugi? Yugi, answer me."  
  
Looking into Yugi's eyes, Yami gasped. They were the same lifeless and dull eyes that Yugi had when Yugi and him were just told about his grandfather.  
  
Tensed up completely he made his way over to the bag and opened his travel bag he had yet to unpack. Swallowing around the lump in his throat he opened the paper bag and pulled out Yugi's medication, the syringe, and a plastic container. With shaky hands he opened the container and pulled out one of the needles and inserted it in the syringe. He then filled the syringe with the amount Yugi's doctor told him to fill it up with and put the bottle back into the bag carefully. Before he put the needle into Yugi's arm though he froze. He couldn't do it. Dropping the syringe he ran out the door.  
  
"Mr. Sagasu, can Joey come with me for a minute? He'll be coming back."  
  
"Hitokage, why do you need Wheeler? You're supposed to be with Motou, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, sir. I need Joey's help though. I'd rather not say."  
  
Joey turned around and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Yami looked deathly pale and nearly close to tears; something nobody ever saw on the proud junior's face.  
  
"Alright then; Wheeler, I expect you to return as soon as you're finished helping Hitokage."  
  
Joey nodded and he followed Yami back to his room.  
  
"He won't eat, Joey. He got sick last week and was sent to the hospital because he wasn't eating. We found out that he was anorexic and partially bulimic. The doctor told us that he had to eat or we had to give him something that will put nutrition into his body, but I can't do it Joey. I can't hurt him."  
  
"It's okay, buddy. I'll help you."  
  
Once Joey saw the syringe and needle on the floor by the bed he felt terrible for Yami. Not many people knew about Yami's fear of it, but those who did knew it was a pretty big fear.  
  
"I'll have to commend you, Yami. At least you got it all ready without help." Joey told him as he picked up the syringe from the floor. "Where do you put it?"  
  
Yami held up Yugi's arm and placed his finger over the soft skin where forearm and upper arm meet.  
  
Joey nodded and Yami turned around and clenched his eyes closed.  
  
"It's okay now, Yami. I'm done."  
  
Yami turned back around. "Thanks, Joey. I would never have been able to do it without freaking out and hurting him."  
  
"That's okay. I gotta get back to class. You going to be okay now?"  
  
Yami nodded and watched Joey as he left and closed the door behind him.  
  
"Yugi, please get better. I don't want to lose you."  
  
~~  
  
If you think things are bad for a favorite couple now then you have another thing coming. Just as a teaser I'm going to tell all of you wonderful readers right now that's if you hate me now, it's nothing compared to how you're going to feel about me after the next chapter. 


	12. How Come Things Keep Getting Worse?

Okay before we get on with the fic I'm gonna answer that one question a few people have been asking about. Why's Yami afraid of needles? Well for one we couldn't just have Yami be fearless of just one thing (Keith) could we? Besides, I'm freaked out of needles (but not as much as my dad; he just faints when he's going to get a shot lol). Hope that helped.  
  
And one more thing. In your reviews people keep telling me that I'm misspelling stuff a lot. But I use spell check all the time and it says that there isn't anything wrong. Could some of you help me out on that?  
  
Now on with the most evilest (yes, evilest is a word) chapter of the fic. Don't hate me too much!  
  
~~  
  
Things finally started to settle down a go right. Yugi was still upset over his grandfather's death and what would happen when summer came, but being around Yami helped. He started to eat again much to Yami's relief and started to smile over again. Yami finally felt he could trust Yugi to be on his own again which meant he was ready for that talk with Joey over their bet.  
  
"Where are you going, Yami?" Yugi asked innocently as he sat up in bed.  
  
"Don't worry, Yugi. I'll be back in a bit, I just need to talk to Joey about something really quick and then I'll be back. Just rest a bit more. I've noticed you've still been tired lately."  
  
Yugi nodded and gave Yami a quick smile before laying his head back down on the pillow and closing his eyes.  
  
Yami smiled at the innocent teen before turning and heading out of the room. 'It's time to fix this stupid bet. Joey, I'll make you see how much I've changed, if that's what it takes.'  
  
He looked for Joey for what seemed like hours before he ran into Ryou.  
  
"Hey, Ryou. Have you seen Joey?"  
  
"No, I haven't. Why do you need him?"  
  
"I need to talk to him about the bet. A few things I need to...clear up, you know. Well, I gotta go. I promised Yugi I'd be back quickly and I don't want him to worry." He walked off.  
  
Ryou watched him turn the corner. 'I thought he knew about the bet though.'  
  
"What's wrong? You looked confused." Bakura's voice broke through the smaller's thoughts.  
  
"Yeah, Yami just came by wondering if I knew where Joey was. He wanted to talk about the bet."  
  
"What about?" Bakura asked, wondering the same thing Ryou was.  
  
"He said he had to clear something up, but that was all."  
  
"What's to clear up? He stays with Yugi for three weeks with no sexual activity. It can't be that hard, can it?"  
  
Ryou shrugged and leaned into Bakura's arms. "I have a feeling something bad is going to happen soon, Kura. Something that's going to be really bad for Yami and Yugi, but I can't figure out what."  
  
"I'm with you, Ryou."  
  
Little did the two know they made a big mistake.  
  
Tea smirked as she walked down the hall away from the corner where she just heard one of the most interesting conversations she ever heard since she attended the school. 'Tomorrow will prove to be a very interesting day. I'll make sure of that. Yugi won't be a problem and I'll teach him a lesson to ever touch MY Yami again and Yami will have no choice but to come back to me.'  
  
~~  
  
The next morning Yami and Yugi were woken from their light sleep by a knock on the door.  
  
Yami opened it and immediately became confused. It was Kari, one of Tea's close friends. "What do you want?" He asked as nicely as he could, in case it was something worth his time and not another one of Tea's schemes to get him back.  
  
"Chill, Romeo. I've got a note from your counselor. She had something come up and had to go back to her office, but she needed to get this to you so I volunteered. Here you go." She handed the folded piece of paper to Yami and then walked off after giving a quick wink to Yugi, who swallowed nervously.  
  
Yami closed the door and opened the note, reading it to himself.  
  
Mr. Hitokage,  
  
I need to speak to you about your schedule change. It's important and need to see you before you go to breakfast.  
  
Yami looked up at Yugi. "My counselor needs to see me before I go to breakfast. It's something about my schedule change. I'll meet you down there, okay?"  
  
"Okay Yami. I hope it's nothing bad."  
  
Yami nodded and got dressed quickly before waving goodbye to Yugi.  
  
Yugi dressed as well before heading in the opposite direction for the lunchroom.  
  
Two gleaming ice-blue eyes watched as Yugi headed alone to the cafeteria. Once out of hearing range the person lifted a walkie-talkie out of her pocket and pressed in the large button on the side.  
  
"Tea, it's Kari. Yugi's headed for the cafeteria just like you said he would. Get ready, he'll be there in about thirty seconds."  
  
//Thanks, Kari. This will be the best thing that's ever happened to this school once Yugi hears this. He's bound to run out and never come back. Feel free to come and join us.//  
  
"Will do, Tea. I wouldn't miss this for the world."  
  
The put the walkie-talkie back in her pocket and started for the cafeteria herself, smirking evilly about what Tea had told her after classes ended the day before.  
  
~~  
  
Tea looked around at the doors Yugi was going to be heading through any minute now and smirked. 'Now's the time to start.' She turned to Miki, another one of her friends, and started talking in a loud voice causing the whole cafeteria to go quiet and listen to what she was saying. "Miki, did you hear about the bet Joey and Yami have going on?"  
  
"No, Tea, I didn't. What's it about?" Miki answered in just a loud of voice.  
  
"Yami has to go three weeks with no sex with one lover."  
  
"Really? So that's why he's been acting so different lately. Whose the little whore they're using?"  
  
Tea smirked as she realized everybody was hanging on her every word. In a louder and clear voice she answered the question just like her and her two other friends had planned. "Yugi Mouto, the supposedly quiet and innocent of the school."  
  
~~  
  
Yugi freezes as he hears what Tea's saying and tears sting his eyes as everything starts to sink in and what it means. Once his name is called after a dramatic silence tears start cascading down his face in waterfalls as he shakes his head back and forth refusing to believe what he heard. "No, this can't be happening."  
  
'Oh, but it is.' An evil voice echoed through his mind. 'Yami started hanging out with you three weeks ago. He's been treating you so differently and he didn't seem to even know who you were before then.'  
  
"No! It's a cruel joke! It has to be." He then turned and ran down the halls searching frantically for any sign of Yami. "Yami will tell me the truth! Yami will fix everything and make it all better just like he always does!"  
  
~~  
  
Yami walked away from his counselor's office in confusion. His counselor wasn't there like Kari had said she would be. He was heading for the cafeteria when he crossed paths with Joey. 'I might not get another chance.' He thought. He didn't want to put it off any longer.  
  
"Joey, we need to talk about this bet."  
  
"Sure pal, what's up?"  
  
"I want to break it off." He answered in a serious voice.  
  
~~  
  
Yugi turned the corner and smiled in relief as he saw Yami and Joey ahead. He was about to run to Yami and cry in his arms like he did previous times but froze as he heard Joey's voice.  
  
"You want to what! No way! We had a deal Yami and you have to stick with it! This bet is on, don't make me raise the stakes because you're a chicken!"  
  
"I'm not a chicken Joey! This bet is..." Yami's voice caught in his throat as Yugi's figure stepped into the corner of his eyes. Swallowing nervously he turned to face Yugi and cursed himself to oblivion and back as tears slid silently from his large and broken eyes.  
  
Joey turned to look and see what had tensed Yami up and stiffened as he too saw Yugi standing there with broken trust gleaming in his hurt-filled eyes along with unshed tears threatening to fall any given moment.  
  
When Yami started to walk towards Yugi the younger took steps away from him. "Just stay away from me." Yugi said in the most hurtful voice anybody had ever heard from Yugi before.  
  
Yami stops immediately as the words came out and was actually somewhat scared from the tone of voice Yugi was using. Not having anything better to say he said the three words he knew would sound really stupid this time. "Yugi, what's wrong?"  
  
"So it's true then? The bet; everything was true? You never cared for me; you were just using me as your own little fun tow. How could you do this to me Yami? How could you do such a thing after I told you everything? Or is that just another part of this bet? To get all my secrets out and then tell them to the whole school just like they all knew about this bet just to laugh at my expense? I trusted you Yami... I loved you and... and you said... you said you loved me too! You said you'd never let me get hurt!" Yugi cried out angrily as he backed himself against the wall.  
  
"Yugi, it isn't like that. You don't know the whole story. Please listen to me..." Yami begs, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.  
  
"Why should I, Yami! So you can lie to me even more? So you can make a bigger fool of me? I trust you with everything: my sickness, about my grandfather, my past! What next Yami! A whole article going around about this stupid bet? How can I ever listen to you again?"  
  
"Yugi, listen please?" Joey starts to try and help Yami with the hysterical boy.  
  
"And you've made things even worse, Joey! Why couldn't you leave me alone? This was your idea from the start! I... I hate you Joey!"  
  
Joey immediately froze at the last four words. The blonde fell to his knees as he continued to stare at the sophomore. "Yugi, you can't mean that. Please I..."  
  
"Why can't I mean that? You can't begin to understand how I feel right now! Do you really expect me to forgive you like that? Were you even going to tell me when you were done or just take me to bed like the slut you are!" Yugi yelled out hurtfully.  
  
Yami let the tears fall. 'I thought Yugi understood... but I guess I was wrong.'  
  
Yugi had known he was trying to change, but he obviously didn't believe that of him anymore. Then again, why should he?  
  
"Yugi I..."  
  
"Just don't talk Yami. Nothing you say will change my mind. You've shown me what people are really like now. Picking on the little weakling with eating disorders and deceased grandpas who don't have anybody left except for an orphanage to go to once the end of the year comes around. And you're the worst of all people, Yami!"  
  
Yami takes a step forward, hoping for a different reaction than the last time he did. He was wrong.  
  
"Stay away from me, Yami I never want to see you again! I... I hate you too Yami! I hate you... so just leave me alone!" Yugi then turned and ran away from the one who broke his heart.  
  
Yami fell to his knees at Yugi's words; tears falling from his eyes just like Yugi's had when he learned of the bet.  
  
"Yami?" Joey whispered.  
  
He turned his head sorrowfully to look at Joey, the hurt showing in his eyes at what Yugi had said about them. He was right though. He's the worst kind of people there is. He never should've agreed to something like that stupid bet... especially when it had somebody so innocent and trusting.  
  
"Yami, I'm so sorry. I never should've let this happen." Joey continued to whisper; afraid his voice would fail him if he spoke any louder.  
  
"What are you talking about, Joey? It was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm just a baka for not telling him before he found out whatever way he did."  
  
"You don't understand, Yami. Yugi wasn't the one you were supposed to be dating."  
  
Yami turned on him quickly with fire in his already red eyes. "He wasn't?" He growled.  
  
"No, he wasn't." Joey cried. "Troy Laurence was the person you were supposed to be set up with. I set Yugi up with Ryou since he was so lonely all the time and I thought he could use a good friend. But something happened with Ryou that weekend and he couldn't make it so Yugi was out there later than he should have. You arrived before Troy and saw Yugi there so you thought he was the person I set up for you. You two left before Troy arrived. I know because he gave me the most deadliest glare the next time he saw me afterwards, thinking I had joked out on him."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us sooner so it could have been fixed." Yami continued to growl.  
  
"I didn't want to hurt Yugi. I didn't find out about the mix up until Yugi found me in the library looking like he was the happiest person in the world. He gave the biggest hug you could imagine and said he didn't know how he was ever going to be able to thank me. How could I tell him after something that and say it was all a mistake?"  
  
Yami looked down to the floor with his eyes closed in shame. A few minutes later he looked up with determination filling his ruby red eyes. "I lost the one who I loved Joey. I never thought I would be happy again after that summer, but I was wrong and I'm glad I was. We have to find him." He whispered out. He then stood and ran out of the hallway, Joey following him closely.  
  
They went down a few halls and stopped when they heard laughter inside. Curiously they opened the doors where Tea was the center of attention going on about the bet still even though she guessed Yugi had long since ran. Everybody in the lunchroom was laughing.  
  
Yami growled and made to head towards her but Joey stopped him.  
  
"You look for Yugi. I'll take care of this bitch."  
  
Yami nodded and headed out the doors to start looking.  
  
Yami looked everything for what seemed like hours. He had even run into Bakura and Ryou by the bridge and asked if they'd seen Yugi.  
  
"I haven't seen him for a couple days." Bakura answered.  
  
"I saw him." Ryou spoke quietly. He pointed a pale finger towards the stables. "I saw him running over there. He looked pretty upset but by the time I got there to see what was up it was like he completely vanished. I took it as a sign that he wanted to be left alone and I haven't seen him since."  
  
Yami nodded his thanks to the two and ran off towards the stables. He looked inside and around the outside before he noticed the footprints imprinted in the mud hidden by some bushes. Without hesitation he followed the direction it was leading in.  
  
About a hour or so later he stopped for a rest and turned around to see how far he'd come. He gasped as he discovered he was miles up on the mountainside and way past the school's boundaries.  
  
'I like the view from up here.' He added as an afterthought.  
  
He was broken from his thoughts by slight sniffling and muffled cries. He turned and headed towards the sounds before sighing in relief at the sight of Yugi. Tip-toeing towards him quietly so he could get the boy in his arms so he couldn't run; he failed when he stepped on a twig and snapped it.  
  
Yugi looked up in surprise and easily noticed Yami a few feet away from him. "Keep away from me, Yami! I hate you; don't you get that? You've ruined everything!"  
  
He made to get up and start running.  
  
"Yugi stop! Please, at least listen to what I have to say? I'm begging you, Yugi, please?"  
  
Yugi stopped, but he didn't sit down. He gave a small nod for Yami to start talking.  
  
"Yugi, I'm sorry about the bet. I was going to tell you. In fact, I was talking to Joey about it because I want to break it off. I didn't want to hurt you like this and I'm sorry. I love you, Yugi, even if you never want to see me again. I don't know how Tea found out about it though and I promise you that only a few people knew about it.  
  
"Joey made the bet with me because he didn't think I could go three weeks without sleeping with somebody. He told Malik because he was passing by and he knew he could trust him with it since he's our friend, but he made him promise not to tell Marik until they were sure nobody could hear them. Ryou and Bakura found out because they've been my friends since my freshmen year and know how I act so I told them after getting Joey's permission. And Seto knows because Joey can't keep a secret from him.  
  
"We weren't even supposed to end up together, Yugi. It was all a mistake. That day on the bridge, you were supposed to meet up with Ryou before me and the person I was really supposed to end up with met. Joey did it because he thought you were lonely and could've used a friend. But something happened with Ryou that day and he couldn't make it so you were out there longer than you were supposed to be. I came before the guy I was supposed to meet and saw you so I assumed you were the person Joey set me up with. He didn't even know about the mess up until you came and told him how happy you were with me and he didn't want to hurt you by telling you that meeting me was a mistake and wasn't supposed to happen.  
  
"We weren't going to tell anyone about you secrets, Yugi; I swear it. I truly do love you and I would never ever do something like that to you." Yami stopped and broke down to tears, unable to say anything else.  
  
He looked up when he felt two comforting arms wrap around him a few minutes later and smile with relief hat it was Yugi and that he hadn't walked away. He felt terrible though when he saw Yugi's shoulders were shaking with his own sobs. "Yugi? Is there something else? What did I say?"  
  
"Oh Yami. I'm so sorry. I don't hate you; I never did... I never could feel that way Please forgive me, Yami, please? I'm so so sorry."  
  
Yami wrapped his own arms tightly around Yugi. Together they sat there and cried until they didn't have anything left.  
  
"Yugi?" Yami asked in a hoarse voice. When Yugi looked up at him he smiled sadly at him. "Yugi, I'm going to give you a chouse. We can go on acting like this never happened or... or we won't be together anymore? All I'm asking for, Yugi, is that you still be my friends no matter what your decision is? I couldn't bare it if you truly left me for good."  
  
Yugi looked down sadly. "Yami, I'm sorry. Thank you for everything you've ever done for me... but I can't. I can't be with you like that if it wasn't meant to be. But I still do want to be you friends."  
  
Yami felt another wave of fresh tears wash over him at Yugi's words but he held them back for the younger's sake. He would have plenty of time to cry once he was alone. He nodded and they stood up, making their way down to the school.  
  
~~  
  
Once back, everyone was waiting for them. Yami just walked by them, telling them he didn't feel well and wanted to be left alone. Everybody just shrugged and turned to Yugi, who watched Yami walk away with heartbroken eyes. He suddenly regretted what he said on the mountainside, but he didn't know if Yami would talk to him right now or not. He knew he wouldn't want to if his heart was just ripped apart by those words from somebody who said they loved you then hated you.  
  
~~  
  
The next few months went by painfully slow. Yugi and Yami would talk every now and then but the conversations were always short. Their friends were worried about them but everything they tried seem to only make them drift apart further.  
  
There was one day, a few days before the school let out for summer, that they thought everything was going to be okay between them. It was the day Yugi got a letter from the orphanage he'd be staying with. It said that since Yugi only had two years left with the school that they wee going to let him finish his high school years there instead of where they usually sent high school students. Everyone was so excited and Yugi and Yami hugged each other tightly like they did when they were together before they knew what they were doing. Everyone was so happy when they saw it and thought everything was going to be fine from then on when the two suddenly broke apart and mumbled out apologies to each other.  
  
On the train ride home, the eight friends sat together in the same compartment. Seto sat by the window with Joey practically in his lap, Malik sat beside Joey, and Yami sat next to the blonde. Marik sat across from Yami on the opposite bench, Bakura beside him, Ryou leaning again Bakura, and Yugi sat beside Ryou staring out the window ignore everyone else just like Yami was; only Yami was staring at the compartment's sliding door.  
  
Once the train stopped they all filed out with their bags and waited for their parents to come pick them up. Bakura and Ryou left once they saw Bakura's mother's car pull up. Malik and Marik left once they saw Malik's older sister drive up; she's in college. Seto and Joey left once Seto's limo arrived shortly after Malik and Marik left.  
  
Yami and Yugi stood beside each other, both uncomfortable around each other for some reason. Yami left though when he saw one of his mother's butler drive up in once of his mother's car after giving a short goodbye to Yugi.  
  
Yugi stood there alone, feeling like he was going to break down and cry, when a woman came up to him dressed up in a business suit.  
  
"Are you Yugi Motou." She asked gently. Yugi nodded. "I'm glad to meet you, Yugi, and I'm sorry about your grandfather's unfortunate death. My name is Ms. Nadaka. Please follow me." She then started walking away, Yugi following behind her slowly. 


	13. Birthday Present

The next three months for summer Yugi wallowed in himself and blamed himself for his and Yami's terrible relationship since the worst day of his life happened when he had rejected Yami's offer to be together once more and forget anything bad happened.

When the first of September came he dreaded seeing Yami again. He was too afraid to know what the now senior thought of him.

'Does he even feel the same way about me or does he have somebody better in his life now?' He thought fearfully above his other numerous questions.

Yami had the worst summer he could ever have.

He was surprised and actually for once when he came home and saw his mother was home and was waiting for him. He walked through the door and she gave him a big hug telling him they had so much to talk about.

His high spirits came crashing down though when he saw Keith smiling at him when his mother led him to the living room where his Christmas presents always were waiting for him since he never came home for the winter holidays.

"I'm going to wait until I get settled down and relaxed. Why don't you tell me about the good news first?" He told his mother, referring to when she told him she had exciting news for him in the doorway.

Yami's mother squealed with delight and beckoned Keith over. The married couple held hands tightly and lovingly, much to Yami's disgust; he felt he was going to be sick. But the next thing his mother told him made him want to die and be six feet under far away… very VERY far away.

"Yami, Keith and I have been dying to tell you this since we found out a few months ago. I was actually so excited to tell you I was actually going to mail you and ask you to come home for Christmas, but I know how you like to spend that time with all your friends."

Yami mentally gagged. "What's going on, mother?" He asked almost fearfully.

"Yami, Keith and I are going to have our first baby. You're going to have little half-brother or half-sister."

Yami felt like dying all over again at the words coming out of his mother's mouth. He swallowed the tight knot in his throat and nodded, acting happy. "Yo-you're pregnant?" He asked hesitantly and almost in a high voice.

Yami's mother nodded happily and leaned against Keith. "Something wrong, Yami?" She asked after he was silent for a while.

Yami shook his head. "No, I'm really excited, mother, honestly. That's great news. Congratulations." Tears started to threaten to fall and he quickly stood. "I'm feeling kind of tired right now though. I'm sorry, but I'm going to lie down in my room before dinner."

"Okay, Yami dearest. I'm glad you're home and that you're happy about the baby. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks. I was wondering if you'd like to come with Keith and me?"

"S-sure, mother. I'd like to go with you." He faked a yawn and headed out the door but his mother stopped him again.

"I planned on going out to celebrate tonight. I didn't want to do anything fancy until you got home. Could you dress for dinner since we're going to go out?"

"Sure, mother. No problem."

He walked quickly for the stairs, thankful that his mother didn't have anything left to say. Any longer in that room and he would've surely been sick.

'Anybody else." He thought. 'If it were anybody else I'd probably be okay with it, but Keith? Why'd it have to be him?' He lay down in his bed.

A few minutes after laying in his bed a knock came to his door and, without a reply, Keith walked in and locked the door behind him. He smirked as he eyes Yami before walking towards him, shedding his clothes with each step.

That's how it went on for the next three months. Yami acted happy about the baby and watched in his secret hate as she slowly started to show. Then whenever she was busy or resting or out shopping for a few hours Keith would come and force Yami to have sex with him, even though Yami didn't want it anymore. The guilt tore him apart that it felt like he was hurting and betraying Yugi once more by letting Keith do this to him.

On The first of September his friends surrounded him before they noticed his mother and all, except Yugi since he didn't know her except that he knew she was Yami's mother, took turns hugging her happily and telling her congratulations about the baby.

Yami sighed and ignored them until he spotted Yugi hanging back from them. He was about to walk over and try to talk to him when the train's whistle rang out loudly and everyone pushed him and Yugi onto the train so he didn't have a chance at talking privately with him until they arrived back at the school.

A few weeks into the new school year Yami couldn't take it anymore. He walked over to Yugi who was talking with Ryou and Bakura and lying about how good his summer had gone at the orphanage.

"Yugi, can I talk to you alone for a minute? It's kind of important. Please?"

Yugi nodded and followed him out of the building and over to the bridge where they had first met. The now junior softly blushed as he remembered the last months after he broke up with Yami, which he still thoroughly regretted, he kept coming back to the bridge and praying wishes that Yami would come back and things could just start over again.

Yami hugged Yugi close to him. "I'm sorry Yugi. I'm so sorry for everything." He cried.

Yugi held him back. 'Why's he apologizing? He didn't do anything wrong, not that I noticed it if he did.' "Yami, is everything okay? What's wrong?" He asked in concern.

Yami just continued to cry.

"Please Yami, tell me? I really want to know, what's wrong. You're scaring me."

Yami then burst out in tears about everything from when Keith first raped him to the past three months and how he needed Yugi in his life before he died of everything else going wrong. Afterwards he became so weak emotionally that he collapsed onto his knees, still holding Yugi but letting his arms loosen around him so he wouldn't drag him down with him.

Yugi though knelt with him and held him even closer. The junior felt tears come to his eyes as he heard Yami whisper in his chest that he still loved him and nothing could ever change that.

That's when Yugi felt something cold drop onto his bare arms and he looked down carefully so he wouldn't disturb Yami. A real smile was brought to his lips and his eyes sparkled to life for once in a long time. It was the locket he had given Yami the last Christmas.

"Yami… the locket? Y-you kept it even after what I said to you and how I acted e-even when I said we could be friends still?"

"I couldn't rid of it." Yami's voice muffled through from where his face was hiding in Yugi's black leather vest. "He wanted to though. He tried to take it off when he noticed the first time, the day I came back for the summer. I wouldn't let him though. I couldn't. If-If he threw it away like he was planning on than I'd lose the only thing I still had of you."

"You're wrong Yami?" Yugi whispered quietly as he continued to hold Yami to him.

Yami looked up sadly, his eyes rimmed red from the force of his tears.

Yugi smiled down at him before closing his eyes. "You've had my heart since the first I said I loved you. I've never taken it back, Yami, not even when I lied and said I hated you."

Yami gave him a watery smile. Yugi opened his eyes and slowly leaned down, capturing Yami lips with his own. Yami responded immediately after getting over the shock that it was really happening.

They didn't need to speak any words to know that they were now everyone's favorite couple again nor did they have to speak any apologies for the previous year.

Unknown to them, their friends watched from the school doors. Nobody could express how happy they were that things were finally going to be going to the two's way for once. And with Tea expelled, compliments of Joey and Tea's very own large mouth, they didn't have to worry about her slimy tricks any longer.

A couple weeks later Yugi and Yami had moved into the same dorm together and they both loved every minute of it.

"Happy Birthday Yami!" Everybody cheered as Yami blew out his candles.

"What wish did you make, buddy?" Joey joked as he ruffled Yami's spiky hair.

Yugi giggled and pulled his boyfriend into his arms and that sent everybody laughing. "If he told you, Joey, than it wouldn't come true." Yugi teased. Yami nodded his agreement before giving Yugi a small smile and a kiss on the cheek.

As everybody was eating their own piece of cake Yugi pulled Yami away from everyone else.

"What's wrong, Yugi?" Yami asked as he removed the confetti that Marik and Bakura had dumped into his hair minutes before.

"I-I have something I want to give you, Yami." Yugi told him shyly.

"You got me something else?" Yami wondered aloud. "You didn't have to, Yugi."

"Actually, I've had it for a long time. Something I've been holding onto for somebody special; you, Yami." Yugi blushed. "I want to make this the best night of your life Yami."

"Can that really happen, Yugi? You've already given me all the bests that I'll ever have in my life." Yami kissed him lovingly.

"Yami, what I want to give you is really important. I wouldn't let anybody else have this without it killing me first. Yami, I-I want to give you my innocence." Yugi whispered the last part out with, embarrassed and blushing madly.

Yami almost didn't hear what Yugi had said but once he did he froze. After shaking away the shock from the words, he lifted Yugi's head up to look into his eyes. He searched them as he asked Yugi if he was sure.

Yugi nodded and a big smile broke out on Yami's face, hugging him tightly.

Joey strained his ears to listen to what Yugi was telling Yami and smirked as they started to walk away. "Hey, Yami."

Yami turned around, annoyed with Joey.

"I've got a bet for you."

Yami looked up, interested, but looked down at Yugi to see if it was okay, but noticed the hurtful expression on Yugi's face when 'bet' was mentioned. He looked back over to Joey and stuck his tongue out childishly. "I'm not interested, Joey. Not now, not ever." The two then started to walk away, holding each other closely.

Joey's smirk widened and said his bet anyway. "I bet you, Yami, that this will be the best night of your life and the best birthday present you could ever imagine!"

Yami lowered Yugi gently on the bed, lying on top of him as he followed. He placed his lips on Yugi's and placed a small kiss upon them.

A small blush had risen on his smaller lover's cheeks after he had pulled away.

"Your really want to do this Yugi… for me?" He asked again, wanting to make sure.

Yugi gave him a shy nod. "For us, Yami. I want to do it for us."

Yami's heart swelled at his love's words and for once it wasn't because of guilt. He leaned down once more and placed a harder kiss on Yugi's soft lips, begging for entrance with his tongue. Yugi happily opened his mouth and let Yami explore his moist warmth before entangling with his own.

As the kiss lengthened and heated up into so much more than a kiss, Yami's hands smoothed out over Yugi's shirt and started to play with the buckles that were keeping him from what he wanted to touch. One by one he undid each buckle slowly even after pulling away from Yugi when air became a necessity.

Once the shirt was opened he slowly helped Yugi into a sitting position before kissing him once more and letting his mouth trail down to the soft pale flesh of his neck. Yugi squirmed at the new sensations flowing through them before gasping and closing his eyes as Yami started nip lightly at the skin on his neck.

Yami smiled against Yugi's neck and brought his hands up once again, balancing on his knees, and started to tug at Yugi's vest and throwing it off the bed and out of the way. In a flash his hands were on the exposed skin and exploring ever inch of the soft skin. Once his fingers found Yugi's nipple he smirked and started to move down towards it, leaving a trail of fire on Yugi's skin everyone he left a kiss.

Yugi's breathing got faster and his eyes were clenched tight at how Yami was making him feel. He'd never felt this way before and he was glad that it was Yami doing this to him instead of somebody… like how Yami had his innocence taken away. His thoughts vanished as Yami took one of his nipples in his mouth and started to suck on it.

Yami licked around Yugi's pink nipple before nipping lightly at it. At Yugi's slight whimper he caressed the nub with his tongue and washed the pain away for his koi.

"Y-Yami… feels good."

Yami smirked and started to suck harder causing Yugi's breath to hitch in his throat and arch his back into his moist heat.

Once Yami was done and the once soft nipple had turned hard he switched positions and brought was his fingers up to tweak the previous nub to stimulate Yugi further, giving equal attention to the nipple now in his mouth.

After he was finished with the two treats on his lover's chest he kissed his way down and stopped at Yugi's navel to dip and swirl his tongue within it.

"Gods…Yami…don't s-stop." Yugi panted as he arched his back further to get more contact with Yami, but whimpered when Yami only pulled back enough so he was still touched the same he had been.

"In time, sweet Yugi. Be patient and enjoy." Yami whispered huskily before attention to Yugi's navel. His hands moved up and were now unbuttoning the tight jeans and bringing the zipper down before pulling the clothing off and having it join Yugi's shirt on the floor, the boxers following shortly after.

Yugi squeaked and a dark blush covered his cheeks. His first instinct was to grab a blanket and cover himself, but once he got hold of the covers Yami's hand pushed it away.

A chuckle was heard from Yami as he looked Yugi up and down causing Yugi to go impossibly redder. "You have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about, love. You're very beautiful…inside and out."

Yugi's hand hesitantly let go of the sheet and held onto Yami's jacket sleeve as the senior started to rain more sweet kisses on his hot skin.

"It's…not fair…Yami…" Yugi panted deeply as Yami started to get so close to what he needed touched.

Yami looked up curiously. "What isn't love?"

Yugi whimpered at the loss of touch but pulled on Yami's jacket, hoping he would get the point.

"Ah, I see. You're very right, koi. That isn't fair." He leaned down and kissed Yugi passionately before he whispered huskily in Yugi's ear. "Let me solve that problem." He climbed off the bed, Yugi whimpering in response to his retreating warmth, and slowly pulled his clothes off and tossing them to join Yugi's on the floor.

Yugi blushed as he looked Yami up and down before looking away in embarrassment. Yami chuckled and lay down beside Yugi and sucking at his sweet skin on his shoulder.

"Do you like what you see, koi?"

Shyly, Yugi nodded and hesitantly turned to face Yami. Immediately he drowned in his darkened crimson eyes and leaned over for another kiss.

After Yami was sure Yugi wasn't feeling self-conscious anymore he rolled on top of Yugi and hovered over him. He placed one more kiss on his lips before trailing down passes his chest and over his flat stomach before kissing the tip of his weeping manhood.

Yugi gasped and his fingers curled into the soft sheets, turning white by how tight he was clenching them.

Yami smirked at his little lover's response before taking in the whole of Yugi, causing the smaller form beneath him to take in a deep breath and whimpering slightly. He played with the slit with his tongue before moving further down, skimming his teeth lightly along the organ.

Yugi couldn't believe the emotions and other things he was feeling. Nothing could explain or even come close to what he was exactly feeling either. He squirmed his hips to get further into Yami's warmth, but whined when he felt his koi's hands on his hips to keep from moving up further.

When he felt Yugi starting to tense up, Yami pulled back, eliciting a whine from Yugi.

"Don't worry, koi. I just didn't want this to end so soon. You'll have you're release when I really give you what you deserve."

Yugi nodded, out of breath from the intense pleasure that Yami had given him even if he hadn't fulfilled himself just yet.

Reaching over the side of his bed and searching around underneath the mattress he wrapped his hands around the cool tube of lubricant and pulled it out. He sat up as he uncapped the top and squeezed the contents onto three of his fingers.

"Love, this will feel uncomfortable at first but it will get better. I'll go as slow as you want and whenever I start to hurt you tell me and I promise I'll stop."

Yugi nodded and, on instinct, spread his legs for Yami to have better access.

Yami rubbed one lubed finger over Yugi's entrance before pushing it in, the muscles clamping around on his invasion only a second later. He looked up at Yugi to see if he was okay.

Noticing Yami's concerned look he nodded. "It's okay Yami. Just a bit… uncomfortable."

Yami nodded and proceeded to push his finger in further and started to thrust it in and out. Once Yugi's muscles had relaxed against his finger he pushed another finger to join the finger.

Yugi's eyes clenched at the second finger but there wasn't enough pain to stop Yami. When the third finger pushed in though he whimpered lightly and felt Yami's fingers stop.

"Yugi?" He heard his older lover ask.

"It hurts Yami." He whispered.

"Do you want me to stop?" Yami asked, concerned for his lover.

Yugi shook his head. "No, I'll be fine. It doesn't hurt so bad; it's starting to go away."

Yami nodded a waited a few more seconds before continuing to stretch Yugi's entrance. After pulled out when he was sure Yugi was stretched as best as he could to make sure he wasn't going to hurt him and slicked is own engorged length with lubrication before positioning himself at Yugi's entrance. "Are you sure you want to do this, Yugi? You could have anybody you want and you won't be able to take it back."

Yugi smiled at him and nodded, his love for Yami shining deeply in his eyes. "I want you though, Yami. I want you and nobody else. Please, be my first Yami; I want this, I want you." He whispered quietly, afraid to speak louder even though Yami was.

Yami took a deep breath and nodded before pushing into Yugi's tight body. Clenching his teeth together at how tight Yugi was even after stretching him, only stopping when he came to the hilt.

Looking up at Yugi who had surprisingly stayed quiet he gasped at the tears he saw staining Yugi's pale cheeks. Balancing himself on his one arm he brought the other up and wiped the tears away before caressing Yugi's cheek and kissing him lightly.

"Yugi?" He asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

Yugi shook his head and opened his amethyst eyes to look into Yami's ruby red ones. "It hurts Yami; worse than before." More tears pushing passed his eyes even when he tried to keep them back.

"I'm so sorry, Yugi." Yami looked away. "Do you want to stop? We don't have to do this. You're the best birthday present I could ever hope for, just having you by my side is enough."

"I want to though, Yami. I want everything of mine to be yours." He wrapped his legs around Yami's waist and leaned up to kiss him on his cheek. "I love you, Yami."

"I love you too, Yugi. You don't know how much this means to me." He kissed Yugi deeply on his lips as he pulled out and thrust back into Yugi's inviting body.

Continuing with a slow pace as he looked deep into Yugi's eyes and waited for the younger to say what he wanted. He obliged happily every time Yugi asked for more, thrust harder when he asked for it, and faster when he asked for it.

Passion clouded over the two lover's eyes as they made love with each other. It was bliss and neither thought it would feel so good. Yugi with the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and Yami finally with somebody he loved with all his heart. Both finally had their lived complete.

"Yami…so close." Yugi whimpered before finally spilling himself over Yugi's stomach and hand, which had wrapped around his hard length earlier on.

"Yugi." Yami grunted as he released himself deep within Yugi before pulling out and rolling to the side so he wouldn't land on Yugi as he fell.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence Yugi snuggled up closer and whispered if Yami was awake.

In response Yami lifted his hand up and pet Yugi's soft, spiky, wet hair.

"It felt worse than that, didn't it? When your step dad…" Yugi couldn't bring himself to say the words.

Yami tensed at the memory of that one summer where his whole life turned into a nightmare. "Much worse," he answered quietly, afraid his voice would choke.

"I'm sorry Yami, I love you." Yugi told him lovingly, laying his head on Yami's chest.

"Don't be, love. And I love you too."

When Yugi was nearly asleep he heard Yami whisper his name. "Hmm?" He called tiredly.

"Can I keep you?"

"Always Yami, always."

They both fell asleep mere seconds later, both contented with each other as they lay in each other's arms. Neither cared what the next day brought.

And Joey made good of his bet. For it really was the best night Yami had ever had in a long time and he knew he'd never forget it.

Okay everybody, I apologize right now. That isn't one of my best lemons and for some reason I really wasn't into it no matter how long I delayed in it. I tried though, I really did. There's going to be one more chapter after this that I know of for sure, I'm still deciding whether or not I'm going to put something else I thought of in this fic or leave it for a sequel if I can think of something to do for it. I'll leave that up to you, but if you do want a fic you're defiantly going to have to give me some ideas of what you want for it.


	14. Erasing Bad Images

A few nights later Yami and Yugi were sitting alone in their room together, content on just holding each other close as they gazed out the window at the clear night from Yami's bed.

Yugi felt something was wrong so he looked up at Yami and asked him if he felt okay.

Yami shook his head. "Nothing's wrong, Yugi. I'm fine."

Sighing, Yugi pulled away from Yami so he could turn around in his koibito's lap and looked him in the eyes sadly. "Tell me the truth, Yami. Is everything okay?"

Yami sighed as well, knowing he couldn't lie to Yugi. He looked out the window before he started to talk to Yugi. "No matter how much I remind myself that Keith can't hurt me while I'm here, I still feel guilty knowing what's going to happen when I go back home for the summer. I even have dreams of that one night where he first…where he first took me and even sometimes I have dreams of what I think he's going to do next."

Yugi kissed his cheek gently, hoping it would give his lover at least some comfort. Yami then looked at Yugi, searching with his eyes through Yugi's soul before smiling happily at him.

"What are you thinking about, Yami?" Yugi asked curiously as he traced Yami's smiling lips with his fingers slowly.

"You can help me make Keith go away, Yugi." Yami told him excitedly after kissing Yugi's fingertip.

Yugi instantly became confused. "What do you mean, Yami? How can I make someone you live with go away and leave you alone?"

Yami leaned down on the bed, lying completely on his back, taking Yugi with so the smaller was resting on him completely. He leaned his head up and whispered into Yugi's ear. "You can make Keith go away by taking me in his place."

It took a minute to register what Yami had said before he gasped and sat up so he was straddling Yami's waist. "Are you sure, Yami? I know how much this means to you and…" Yugi was cut off as Yami pulled him back down and kissed him passionately.

"I'm very sure, Yugi. I trust you and I love you; you'd never hurt me like he does."

Yugi nodded and hesitantly leaned down kissed Yami, uneasily and nervously. Feeling this though, Yami pushed him away. "Are you okay with this, Yugi? You don't have to if you aren't ready for this. We can do this some other time."

"I'm a little scared. What if… what if I do something wrong and disappoint you, Yami." He rushed out. "I don't want you to leave me."

Yami was surprised that Yugi thought that he would leave him just because of something so small as that. "Yugi I would never leave you for something like that; never will I ever leave your side. I love you too much to do something like that to you and I'll only leave if that makes you happy." Yugi nodded to show he was listening. "Besides, Yugi, you're the most beautiful creature anybody could ever lay eyes on. Something as perfect as you could never have any flaws."

Yugi blushed and looked down, tracing designs on Yugi's bare stomach before whispering out that he didn't know what to do.

Yami smiled. "I'll help you, Yugi, just relax and stop whenever you need to."

Yugi relaxed just like Yami told him to and waited until his hands stopped shaking before he nervously started to undo the button and zipper on Yami's pants. Yami helped by undoing Yugi's pants and the same time; clothes going on the floor seconds later.

That's when Yugi froze. He didn't know if Yami was expecting him to do the same things he did to him or make up different things instead.

Feeling the uneasiness Yami caressed Yugi's cheek until amethyst looked at him with nervousness and a little fear.

"You don't have to do anything special, Yugi. We'll leave that for when you're more comfortable with this." He reached his other hand down after Yugi's affirmed nod and pulled out his strawberry-scented lubrication.

Yugi remembered what Yami had done with this and opened it slowly, covering three fingers in the substance. He then reached down and pushed one finger into Yami's entrance. A second later he added the second, and then the third after that to stretch Yami completely.

Yami told him he was ready as he forced his hips to not thrust against Yugi's fingers. Yugi nodded and pulled out before hesitating slightly. It then clicked as he remembered Yami covering his length nights before on his birthday for extra slickness. He put some more of the strawberry-scented lube on his hand and covered his own hardness with the cold lubrication before positioning himself like Yami had before and pushed in.

Yami sucked in a deep breath at the initial thrust but easily relaxed at having been… taken so many times before.

Yugi waited a minute before pulling back out to the tip and thrusting back in slowly, earning a moan from Yami. Glad that he hadn't hurt his only love, but was giving him pleasure, he pulled back out and thrust back in a little harder and faster.

Yami was left gasping for air at how perfect he felt and how wonderful it was to finally be taken willingly. He took Yugi's hand gently in his and led it to his straining length, hoping Yugi would know what to do.

From the experience though, Yugi knew what Yami wanted and started to pump Yami's rock-hard length in time with his thrusts.

Yami called out Yugi's name as he was sent over the edge and all over their stomachs and Yugi's hand.

Yugi clenched his eyes tightly together when Yami's muscles clamped tighter around him before he too released himself inside Yami and called out his love's name.

All strength lost, he collapsed on top of Yami gasping for much needed breath.

"Thank you, love. You'll never be able to realize how much that truly meant to me." Yami whispered into his hair.

"I love you, Yami. I'd do anything for you." Yugi whispered tiredly back before falling asleep.

"I love you too, Yugi." Yami told him, hoping he'd hear it in his dreams.

He carefully lifted Yugi and pulled him out of his body and laying him gently beside him. Kissing him on the cheek lightly before falling asleep as well.

In the morning both lovers were content to just stay in each other's arms for the day since it was Saturday and had nothing else to do unless their friends came by with something in mind.

"Yugi, I have something I've been meaning to ask you?" Yami told Yugi as he finished debating whether or not to ask him.

"What's up, Yami? You can ask me anything."

Yami pulled Yugi closer to him and hugged him tightly. "For the summer and when you get out of high school would you like to come stay with me?"

Yugi pulled away abruptly and sat up, looking at Yami with so many different emotions running through his eyes. "Are you serious, Yami? I can really come stay with you?"

Yami nodded happily and his mouth was quickly assaulted by a crying Yugi's into a passionate kiss. After pulling away Yugi wiped uselessly at his tears. "I'd love to Yami! Nothing would be better than being able to stay with you!"

Yami pulled Yugi down into another passionate kiss. Yami finally had somebody in his life that he knew would never leave him and Yugi finally had love and friends in his life. Both had what they had always wanted and they loved every minute of it.

Okay, I had to have a sappy ending in there somewhere and the baka idea wouldn't leave me alone so I hope that wasn't too bad. Sorry about the lemon too, I don't think I did that good of a job on it either. But here's the chance for all you wonderful readers of mine to have some fun. You all get to vote on the next fic. But sadly the sequel some reviewers asked for isn't going to be in the fic since I still don't have many ideas for it and I don't want to be torturing myself to come up with ideas. But you can still lend me some if you want to help me. It would be very much appreciated.

**Train Ride** – Yami and Yugi meet on the train. Yami wants Yugi but doesn't know where to find him but he'll try anything to get him. (Kinda like 'On the Line' but my version of it.)

**To Tell You** –Yugi leaves clues for Yami since everyone keeps interrupting him when he tries to tell Yami how he feels for a whole week.

**Unexpected Love** – Marik's jealous, Bakura's lonely, Ryou is saddened and confused, and Malik can't see this because he's trying to find out if he really loves Ryou or not.

**With You** – Yami goes back to Egypt with Bakura and Marik. Yugi loses touch with everyone. He goes to Egypt with Ryou and Malik and they somehow end up in Ancient Egypt and back with their yamis.

**Love is Unexplainable** – Yami and Yugi are twin brothers who get separated when they're babies. They meet up again in high school and they fall in love with other. But how long will that be able to last?

**It was just a Game** – Yugi is just a regular teen going through the regular problems. He's got great friends and a girlfriend he would never give up. What happens when his world is turned around by an unexpected visitor and in a weird arrival? A game that was just a game until a strange power surge made one of the characters in Yugi's favorite game a reality. And even more, what happens when he starts to find feelings for this character? (I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with this one yet. But don't worry I can think of something really good in no time if people really want me to do this one. It's up to you!)

Change of Pace

Or for a change of scenery, or something like that, here's a couple ideas that aren't yugioh that you can vote for too if you like. After all, I can write more than just yugioh fics right? It's up to you readers then!

(No Title Yet) – Snape, with help, makes a mistake in his poison to test his class with and mixed, with Draco's antidote for it after he takes them both, something unexpected happens when Draco and Harry meet in the halls. What will happen with them when Draco's father finds out and tells Lord Voldemort? *male pregnancy* (If you pick this one, feel free to also advise a title for it) _Harry Potter_

(No Title Yet) – Twins try to make it in the harsh world with their parents. Kiza and Kida are swordfighters like their father and mother and look after each other through thick and thin. Will they ever be able to find their place in the world and stay alive long enough to keep it? (Same as above for title) _Rurouni Kenshin_


End file.
